Benefits of steel sheet piles
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Steel is essential to modern construction. Flexible, adaptable, strong, durable, reusable and entirely recyclable, steel is the material of choice for sustainable solutions in today's economy.
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Comparative Studies
Sustainable ports
Life Cycle Assessment
An LCA was performed in 2020 to compare the environmental impact of two technical solutions to build a quay wall for cruise ships in a Belgian port. The design of the retaining wall was done by Tractebel, a Belgian design engineering firm specialised in port construction. The LCA was done by ArcelorMittal's R&D department and peer-reviewed by three external experts. The LCA shows that the quay wall executed with steel sheet piles has a lower carbon footprint (expressed in CO2-eq. emissions) than an equivalent diaphragm wall in concrete. In the base scenario the difference is 44 %, but the difference depends on the variation of some parameters.
Compared to the concrete solution (diaphragm wall), the carbon footprint of the EcoSheetPile™ solution (steel sheet piles) is by far lower. In the base scenario the difference is 44 %.
Notes: The LCA is a snapshot of a specific space and time combination, based on EPDs available at the time of analysis, and applicable to a specific project. The LCA focuses on the Global Warming Potential (GWP) indicator, which highlights the emissions of greenhouse gas emissions of both solutions. Specific site or local conditions may have larger influence on the results in other situations.
Underground car parks
Retaining walls play a critical role in underground car park (UCP) construction, providing structural support and preventing soil movement. The most popular option for building a retaining wall of underground car parks in the Netherlands is a steel sheet pile wall, especially in very soft soils with a shallow groundwater table. Steel sheet piles offer cost-effectiveness and efficiency, and any time saved on wall construction has an immediate impact on the overall construction duration, investment, cash flow, and hindrance. Additionally, they are sustainable and quicker to install than alternative solutions, and require less space for storage and installation, resulting in reduced traffic congestion and disturbance to neighbors.
A case study analysing several technical alternatives for the erection of the retaining walls of an UCP was performed in 2021. The design of the retaining structures was done by the Dutch deign engineering firm Witteveen+Bos, whereas the LCA was done by ArcelorMittal's R&D department and peer-reviewed by a Dutch independent expert. The study shows that the sheet pile wall solution has a lower environmental impact compared to three alternatives (mixed-in-place wall, secant pile wall and diaphragm wall). In the base scenario, the difference of the Global Warming Potential (GWP, expressed as CO2-eq) is at least 88%.
It's crucial to consider soil conditions and groundwater levels when selecting a retaining wall for underground car parks to ensure a safe and effective construction project, especially in soft soils. The environmental impact of the construction should also be taken into account.
Bridge design
Benefits of steel solutions
A case study performed by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) assessed all associated costs and performance of a traditional concrete bridge versus a bridge whose abutments are constructed using steel sheet pile sections. This comparison is performed for a two-span superstructure with spans of 22,50 m and a superstructure width of 11,50 m accounting for a standard crossing of a national road over a 3-lane motorway with an average daily traffic (ADT) of 70’000 vehicles:
- Option 1: Steel Sheet Pile abutment (SSP abutment):
- Option 2: Reinforced concrete abutment (RC abutment)
Choosing a bridge designed with steel sheet pile abutments and a composite deck built with steel sections leads to global cost benefits such as:
- 7 % reduction on the construction costs;
- 3,5 % reduction on the life cycle costs over 100 years life time (based on a real discount rate of 2 %);
- Up to 15 % reduction in the economic impact of the external effects during the service life of the structure.
Flood defence and bank protection
Sheet pile walls are a versatile solution for flood defense and bank protection, offering numerous advantages such as watertightness and stabilization for new and existing embankments. They can also form freestanding floodwalls in ports or urban areas while minimizing disturbance, saving space, and providing impenetrability. When selecting sheet pile sections, it is important to consider strength and installation criteria for either a watertight barrier or an earth-retaining function.
Steel sheet pile walls can also offer a natural appearance that meets aesthetic, economic, and ecological requirements. They can be painted, clad with timber, brick, or stone, or masked by plants to blend seamlessly into the urban or rural landscape. Suitable planting can also encourage ecosystem reestablishment, which can be beneficial in areas where human intervention has impacted natural ecosystems.
In summary, sheet pile walls are an effective and flexible solution for flood defense and bank protection, providing numerous benefits while accommodating various design and environmental criteria.
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