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When it comes to purchasing used steel beams, plate, pipe, sheet pile or crane access trestle, it is important to understand what different pricing terms mean. What happens when suppliers are giving you prices in CWT, Tons, Tonnes and Gross Tons? How can you compare your quotes apples to apples?

Example: We are going to order 400 linear feet of used W36x232 beams at 40’ lengths. The steel beams come out to 92,800 pounds of steel. The price is listed at $0.30/LB.

Pounds

The example already lists the used beams at $0.30/LB.

Hudredweight

Hundredweight or commonly written as CWT refers to the price for steel for every 100 pounds. To convert the price per pound to hundred weight, you will multiply the price by 100.

Used beams at $0.30/LB equals $30/CWT

Tons

When pricing steel per ton, we are referring to the “short ton” or “net ton”. Steel mills frequently give you pricing on their steel beams in tons. To convert the price per pound to price per ton, you will multiply the price by 2,000.

Used beams at $0.30/LB equals $600/Ton

Tonnes

Over the phone, Tonnes is pronounced the same as tons, but is an entirely different form of measurement. A Tonne is a metric tonne or MT, which is equivalent to 1,000 KG. This standard of measurement is common with steel sold outside of the United States. To convert the price per pound to price per tonne, you will multiply the price by 2,204.62.

Used beams at $0.30/LB equals $661.39/Tonne

Gross Tons

Gross tons are primarily used to measure scrap steel. Gross ton is also known as “long ton” or “imperial ton”. A gross ton is 12% larger than a short ton. To convert the price per pound to price per gross ton, you will multiply the price by 2,240.

Used beams at $0.30/LB equals $672/Gross Ton

As you can see through these examples, any pricing you receive can easily be converted into a price per pound. Any used steel beams, plate, pipe, sheet pile or crane access trestle listed on Eiffel Trading is priced per pound. If you would like to learn more or have any questions buying or selling used equipment and material please call us at 1-800-541-7998 or email sales@eiffeltrading.com.

Cheers,

Andrew

Andrew Norman is one of the co-founders of Eiffel Trading. His background is in Heavy-Civil and Marine Construction in Project Management and Procurement. While working in project procurement on large government contracts he would frequently compare steel pricing from multiple suppliers and vendors.

On my last Opportunity Cost blog post we covered Equipment Rent vs. Purchase. To recap: Opportunity Cost is loosely defined as the loss of a potential gain from other alternatives when one alternative is chosen. What are you giving up when choosing between two options. This time we are going to explore the opportunity cost between buying used material vs. renting material.

Used Sheet Pile Rent vs. Purchase

After you are officially awarded a project, everyone shifts into overdrive to get the project material procured. It’s important not to let the rush of procuring everything skew your decision making to miss out on potential cost savings. If you are building a bridge where sheet pile is needed for a cofferdam, you have 3 options: purchase new sheet pile, purchase used sheet pile or rent sheet pile.

For example, let’s say you are needing 300 wall feet of PZ-27 sheet pile at 40’ lengths. The cofferdam work on your project will last approximately 6 months. You have narrowed it down to either renting the sheet pile or purchasing the used sheet pile option your friends at Eiffel Trading located for you. You have also decided that when you are done with your sheet pile, you’re going to have Eiffel Trading help you sell them, if you decide to buy the used sheet pile option.

300 wall feet of PZ-27 at 40’ lengths weighs 324,000 LBS.

On the rental here are the approximate costs:

Mobilization: 7 loads at $2500/load = $17,500.00

1st Month’s Rent: $0.20/LB x 324,000 LBS = $64,800

Next 5 Month’s Rent: $0.02/LB x 324,000LBS x 5 Months = $32,400

Demobilization: $17,500.00

Total estimated cost for renting sheet pile: $132,200.00

Keep in mind when you rent sheet pile, you are liable for any damage or cut-off that happens. For this example we aren’t even counting those costs. If you’ve ever rented sheet pile, you know there’s always some sort of damage/loss that you will have to pay.

Before we get to the used option, it hardly ever works out where you will find the exact length and quantity of used sheet pile extremely close to your project. To give a more accurate example, we will increase the trucking costs and assume 300 wall feet of PZ-27 at 45’ = 364,500 LBS

Mobilization: 8 loads at $3000/load = $24,000

Purchase Price: $0.40/LB x 364,500 LBS = $145,800

Sale Price: $0.35/LB x 364,500 LBS = <$127,575>

Demobilization: $0

Total estimated cost for purchasing used sheet pile and reselling them: $42,225.00

Based on this estimate we are talking almost a 70% savings when you purchase and resell used sheet pile!

As you can see, if you buy used sheet pile and resell them at the end of the project, you will be able to save tens of thousands of dollars when compared to renting or buying new sheet pile. When you sell the used sheet pile at the end of the project, you are eliminating any demobilization costs associated with that line item. By planning ahead and thinking about Smart Demobilization at the start of your project, you can save your budget thousands of dollars. If you would like to learn more or have any questions buying or selling used equipment and material please call us at 1-800-541-7998 or email sales@eiffeltrading.com.

Cheers,

Andrew

Andrew Norman is one of the co-founders of Eiffel Trading. His background is in Heavy-Civil and Marine Construction in Project Management and Procurement. His experience working on multiple projects left him frustrated with the previous options out there to help contractors buy and sell equipment and material. He has helped contractors save millions of dollars by helping them implement Smart Demobilization practices.

In the heavy-civil and marine construction industry, choosing the right transportation can make or break your budget. Two common modes of transporting construction material involve barges and trucks. It goes without saying that barges are substantially larger than semi-trailers and can carry significantly greater loads. An average barge can handle ~1,500 tons of cargo compared to an average truck that can handle ~24 tons of cargo. Here are a couple things to consider when you’re thinking about using a barge or truck for your project’s transportation:

Length

The length of the material you are hauling can significantly impact the price of transportation. For trucks, most trailers range from 48’-53’ and the DOT allows you to have some overhang (depending on state). If you are hauling 100’ sheet pile, your trucking costs will increase substantially due to having to permit and escort the load (again, depending on the state). Most standard hopper barges are able to easily fit material over 150’ in length.

Access

How close is your steel mill or supplier from a barge loading facility? Do you have a barge offloading capabilities on your site? If your supplier does not have barge loading capabilities, you will have to truck the material to a stevedore, then pay them to load your barge. In addition, if you do not have barge offloading capabilities on your site, you will have to find a stevedore again and pay them to offload your barge, then load the material onto trucks to finish up the transport. The stevedore and extra trucking costs can add up quickly.

Timing

If you are needing material within the next couple days, trucking will most likely be the quicker option. Barge transportation is more suited for when you have large quantities of material that have several days/weeks before they need to arrive.

Another time related factor when using a barge is demurrage. Demurrage is the charge assessed for detaining a vessel beyond the free time stipulated for loading or unloading in the contract. It is extremely important to make sure you have consider loading and offloading time properly when using barge transportation. Demurrage can be up to several hundred dollars/day.

Volume

A single barge can transport significantly larger volumes than a single truck. One barge can transport the volume of approximately 60 trucks – depending on the cargo moved. Barges are typically moved in a 15-barge tow. If you only have one or two barges of material, you will need to find a way to get into a tow that is heading your direction. If you are hiring a dedicated tow for one or two barges, the economics will most likely favor trucking the material.

As you can see, there are many variables to consider when transporting material via barge or truck. Sometimes the factors aren’t only economics, but feasibility. If you have a construction project starting up that requires working from barges, please check out our large selection of used barges and work boats. If you have any questions, you can reach us at 1-800-541-7998 or email sales@eiffeltrading.com.

Cheers,

Andrew

Andrew Norman is one of the co-founders of Eiffel Trading. His background is in Heavy-Civil and Marine Construction in Project Management and Procurement. Through his work in Project Management, he worked on several projects where steel pipe pile, sheet pile, access trestle, beams and other materials were delivered via barge and trucks.

What is H-Pile? What is H-Pile used for? H-Pile is a structural steel shape that is typically made of 100% recycled content. H-Pile is commonly used as a bearing pile (foundation pile) that is driven into the ground to support large structures. The structures H-Pile supports are almost infinite – bridges, buildings, stadiums, manufacturing centers and the list goes on. Here are some common applications for H-Pile:

Bearing Piles

As mentioned in the introduction, H-Pile is mainly designed to be used as a bearing pile for the foundation of a structure. H-Pile resists loads by skin friction, which is how it achieves loading capacity.

Walers and Bracing

Are you building a sheet pile cofferdam, but the section needs support bracing? H-Pile is commonly used as walers and bracing inside cofferdams and on retaining walls to help strengthen the structure.

Beam and Lagging Walls

Beam and lagging walls are frequently used in deep excavations in urban areas. A beam and lagging wall is made up of beams driven vertically into the ground with hardwood timbers (lagging) placed on the interior of the flanges of two parallel piles to create an earth retention structure. The design property of H-Pile make it an ideal steel section to act as the support beams in the beam and lagging wall.

Pile Driving Templates

In manufacturer literature, this H-Pile application is frequently left out. Contractors love to use H-Pile for their pile driving templates. The templates are used for driving sheet pile, pipe pile and even h-pile.

H-Pile is a very versatile structural shape that has many benefits in the construction industry. If you are looking to purchase or sell your used h-pile, we would be happy to help. You can view our H-Pile inventory or create a listing online. If you have any questions, you can reach us at 1-800-541-7998 or email sales@eiffeltrading.com.

Cheers,

Andrew

Andrew Norman is one of the co-founders of Eiffel Trading. His background is in Heavy-Civil and Marine Construction in Project Management and Procurement. Through his work in Project Management, he worked on several projects where H-Pile was used as walers, templates and bearing piles.

What happens when sheet pile isn’t strong enough to carry the required loads and you don’t have enough room to put in a sheet pile cell? Answer: Combined Walls aka Combi-Walls. A combi-wall is comprised of a king pile (either beam or pipe) and a pair of intermediary sheet pile. The king pile will have sheet pile interlocks on either side to allow the sheet pile to connect. In a combi-wall the king pile carriers the majority of the load. The sheet pile in a combi-wall can be shorter, typically 60%-80% of the length of the king pile. When you are designing a combi-wall you should ask yourself if your king pile is going to be a beam or pipe?

Beam King Pile – Advantages

• Most beams can be manufactured with the interlocks built into the flange – eliminating any need for welding interlock connectors

• Shallower depth than the pipe system, reducing intrusion into waterways

Pipe King Pile – Advantages

• A pipe combi-wall system has a much greater range of strengths due to the large pipes that can be manufactured for the system.

• Can have a greater strength to weight and stiffness to weight ratios than a beam system

Either way you choose, a combi-wall will prove to be a reliable system for your deep excavations, breakwaters, deep cofferdams or other large retaining structures. Before you design your temporary combi-wall, check out our inventory of sheet pile and combi-wall. If you are in the market to buy or sell your used sheet pile or combi-wall, you can reach us at sales@eiffeltrading.com or 1-800-541-7998.

Cheers,

Andrew

Andrew Norman is one of the co-founders of Eiffel Trading. His background is in Heavy-Civil and Marine Construction in Project Management and Procurement. Through his work in Project Management, he worked on several projects involving cofferdams and retaining structures.

Sheet pile driving techniques vary from contractor to contractor. Since flat sheet pile (PS27.5 and PS31) are typically driven in a cellular pattern, some of the driving techniques vary from z-sheet pile. Here are some suggestions on how to drive flat sheet pile efficiently on the jobsite:

Handling Flat Sheet Pile

Flat sheet pile has very little section modulus (beam strength) and are highly susceptible to damage during handling. It is recommended for sheet pile longer than 70’ to have two or more lifting points. If you kink the sheet while handling it, it will make driving the sheet pile extremely difficult, if not impossible.

Fabricate an Adequate Template

The diameter of the sheet pile template should be less than the theoretical diameter of the finished cell. This will help ensure the cell closes with ease. Once the sheet pile cell is filled, the cell should theoretically expand to the proper diameter.

When you are driving longer flat sheet pile, around 70’ or longer, you will want to think about a two or three tier template. This will help with ensuring the sheet pile are properly set. As with any type of sheet pile, it is important to ensure each sheet is plumbed and secured when set.

Mark the Template

Layout marks on your driving template for each single or pair of sheet pile. This helps when making adjustments during the setting phase so you can close the cell.

Driving Long Flat Sheet Pile

When driving longer length flat sheet pile, it may help to stiffen the starter sheet full length with a structural shape. This is to help ensure the first sheet is driven as plumb as possible. If the first sheet driven isn’t plumb, the problem will exponentially get worse as you move around the cell.

Drive in Pairs

After the sheet piles have been threaded and set, you will want to drive them down in pairs. It is suggested that driving sheet pile in pairs requires approximately 50% more energy than to drive a single sheet pile.

“Shake Out” Sheets

As noted above, it is extremely critical to make sure all sheet pile are driven plumb. However, when trying to close a sheet pile cell, the last sheet almost never fits perfectly. Picking up and dropping (shaking out) several sheets around the closure point until the sheet interlocks run smoothly helps ensure the sheets stay properly interlocked as they are driven to tip elevation.

Drive Piles in Stages

Once you have all of the flat sheet pile set and interlocked, work your way around the cell alternating sheet pile pairs. On the first pass drive alternating pairs 4 feet, then drive the un-driven pairs 8’. It is also recommended to reverse the direction of driving for each pass around the cell, which helps to keep the cell plumb. Continue this procedure until all of the sheet pile is driven to tip elevation.

Flat sheet pile can be very tricky to install and every contractor has their own best practices. As with any task, if you plan properly and have adequate tools, you should be able to achieve success relatively easily. If you are in the market to buy or sell your used flat sheet pile, please call us at 1-800-541-7998 or email at sales@eiffeltrading.com.

Cheers,

Andrew

Andrew Norman is one of the co-founders of Eiffel Trading. His background is in Heavy-Civil and Marine Construction in Project Management and Procurement. Through his work in Project Management, he worked on several projects driving flat sheet pile with both open and closed cells.

Flat sheet pile are PS27.5 and PS31 sections manufactured by both Skyline and L.B. Foster. These sections do not have a high section modulus when driven in a straight line. However, when driven in a cellular configuration they are quite powerful. The flat sheet pile interlock is a thumb-and-finger interlock that allows for up to 10 degrees of swing – for building the cellular configuration. Flat sheet pile is used to build mooring dolphins, bridge protection cells, deep draft bulkheads, temporary bulkheads used in construction of locks and dams, among many others.

Here are some of the advantages of using flat sheet pile:

• Flat sheet pile provides a large self-sustaining structure that is extremely durable.

• Flat sheet pile simplifies construction by providing a stable work platform after it is backfilled.

• Flat sheet pile can be installed by the average marine contractor, because there’s not a need for extremely large equipment.

• Flat sheet pile eliminates the need for maintaining slope protection because the cell provides a solid-faced wharf.

Flat sheet pile is not as frequently purchased on the used material market as z-sheet pile. However, there is still a market for used flat sheet pile. If you are looking to sell your flat sheet pile, give us a call at 1-800-541-7998 or email us at sales@eiffeltrading.com

Cheers,

Andrew

Andrew Norman is one of the co-founders of Eiffel Trading. His background is in Heavy-Civil and Marine Construction in Project Management and Procurement. He has experience from projects driving both flat sheet pile cells and open-cell designs.

Steel sheet pile is a very versatile material in the construction industry. It can be used in multiple ways for temporary and permanent installations. We are going to cover some of the structures for used sheet pile:

Retaining Walls

Sheet Pile is frequently used for retaining walls. When driving down the interstate in construction zones you'll oftentimes see sheet pile used for temporary retaining walls. Since this is a temporary structure, the option to install used sheet pile is typically determined by the contractor.

Cofferdams

One of the most famous uses for sheet pile is in a cofferdam. Sheet pile is ideal for cofferdam construction due to the interlock's resistance to permit the passage of water. Cofferdams are most typically a temporary structure, especially in bridge construction, where installation of used sheet pile is very common.

Braced Excavations

Whether you're building a pipeline, subway tunnel or building foundation, sheet pile can be used to brace the excavation. Properly bracing an excavation is paramount to providing a safe work environment for the construction workers. Due to the fact that bracing an excavation is not typically a permanent part of the structure, used sheet pile is frequently the preferred material.

Cut-Off Walls

Sheet pile and cut-off wall are almost synonymous. Cut-off walls are mostly part of permanent structures flood control structures. During the unfortunate event of an oil or chemical spill, sheet pile will be driven to prevent the spill from spreading. Since these events are extremely time sensitive and temporary in nature, used sheet pile is always a great option.

At Eiffel Trading, we have helped contractors procure used sheet pile to help fill all sorts of temporary applications. If you are in the procurement phase of your project, consider used sheet pile as a viable option. Used sheet pile will help your project save time and money! To learn more, please call 1-800-541-7998 or email us at sales@eiffeltrading.com.

Cheers,

Andrew

Andrew Norman is one of the co-founders of Eiffel Trading. His background is in Heavy-Civil and Marine Construction in Project Management and Procurement. While working in Project Management and Procurement he was involved on projects that drove many temporary structures constructed with used sheet pile.

Finding used sheet pile for sale is a challenge. Finding used sheet pile for sale at the exact length you need is an even bigger challenge. What if you find short sheet pile - can you splice them together to make the length you need? The short answer is yes, you can splice sheet pile. However, it is not recommended from the sheet pile manufacturer. If you must splice sheet pile, here are some tips:

1. Make sure you are splicing the same sheet pile section. This sounds like common sense, but it's very important due to the many various sheet pile sections available. For example: you won't be able to splice a PZ-27 to a PZC-18 - even though they have the same type of interlock they won't line up.
2. Avoid lining up the splices in the wall, make sure they are staggered. Manufacturers recommend staggering the splices in adjacent sheet pile by a minimum of 3'.
3. When splicing sheet pile it is nearly impossible to weld around the interlocks. You want to avoid distorting the interlocks from the heat of the welding. In order to achieve a full section modulus your splice will need to have flange plates to make up for the loss of section modulus at the interlocks.
4. Make a template when you weld the sheet pile together to ensure the two sheets are plumbed prior to welding. If the spliced sheet pile is not 100% true, it will increase driving difficulty substantially.

Again - splicing sheet pile is not a recommended practice. Always check with a professional engineer prior to splicing sheet pile. If your sheet pile is too short for your project design, check out our inventory of available used sheet pile. You can also sell your short sheet pile, while you're on the site! To learn more, please call 1-800-541-7998 or email us at sales@eiffeltrading.com.

Cheers,

Andrew

Andrew Norman is one of the co-founders of Eiffel Trading. His background is in Heavy-Civil and Marine Construction in Project Management and Procurement. While working in Project Management and Procurement he purchased thousands of feet of sheet pile.

From a structural standpoint, steel pipe is unrivaled when compared to other materials. The mechanical and physical properties make it an extremely versatile construction material. When compared to wide flange beams or h-pile, steel pipe can withstand much higher loads for long unsupported members. There are several applications for used steel pipe in the construction industry - here are a few:

Structural Bracing

Steel pipe is an excellent resistor of buckling, thanks to the symmetry. In the construction industry you will see used steel pipe as structural bracing in temporary structures such as: cofferdams, deep excavations, crane access trestle, shoring, tunneling, among many others.

Bearing Piles

Steel pipe piles are one of the most tested structural elements in the construction industry. "A Driven Pile is a Tested Pile" - thanks to our friends at the Pile Driving Contractors Association for the use of their slogan. The most common ways we see used steel pipe as bearing pile is in temporary structures such as: crane access trestle foundation pile, dolphins, shoring, temporary navigation piling, temporary docks, among many others.

Casing and Jacked and Bored Pipe

Steel pipe is frequently required when constructing drilled shafts. The casing pipe is used to hold back the soil from around the opening of the drilled shaft. In jacked an bored pipe, the used steel pipe is jacked under roads, railroads, homes, etc. After the pipe is jacked, the pipe is cleaned to allow for the utilities to be installed. The most common ways we see used steel pipe as casing and jacked and bored pipe is in structures such as: drilled shafts, waterlines, telecommunications, pipelines, among many others.

Combination Sheet Pile Walls

Steel Pipe is frequently used in combination sheet pile walls, thanks to the high bending strength characteristics of the pipe. The steel pipe acts as the king pile between the sheet pile pairs, which takes the majority of the load off the sheet pile. The most common ways we see used steel pipe in combination sheet pile walls is in structures such as: temporary terminals, breakwaters, cofferdams, deep excavations, shoring, among many others.

Used steel pipe has many uses, I have only represented a handful of the potential uses. If you are in the market for used or surplus steel pipe you can view our pipe inventory anytime. Please feel free to call or email us for additional information - 1-800-541-7998 or sales@eiffeltrading.com.

Cheers,

Andrew

Andrew Norman is one of the co-founders of Eiffel Trading. His background is in Heavy-Civil and Marine Construction in Project Management and Procurement. While working in Project Management and Procurement he purchased millions of pounds of steel pipe for both permanent and temporary structures.