Sheet piling and H piling play a supporting role in many projects on which Valley Corporation has been a contractor in the Omaha and Council Bluffs metro area. When properly installed, it can be anything from an effective retaining wall to a marine bulkhead or bearing pile, shoring for utility trenches and deep excavations, aiding in soil stabilization, and acting as an adjunct to our structural construction. Our sheet piling installation and removal services have been used for new construction, remediation, and reestablishment projects.

What is Sheet Piling?

Piles are structures that bear and manage loads, especially between structures that are compressible and those that are less compressible. A sheet pile draws their name from their respective shapes since they are large, thin interlocking plates that are driven into the soil. The “H pile” is a beam (think of an I-beam), and the sheet pile are plates, that come in a variety of materials over the years, including composites, vinyl, and wood. However, we find that the versatility, durability, and ease of re-use afforded by steel makes it the ideal material for sheet piles and H piles alike.

Types of Piling

Sheet piles are typically used for any structure that isn’t assembled (i.e., using masonry or block and basket construction), poured, or injected.

• Driven piles are placed using either an impact driver or a vibratory hammer attachment mounted to an excavator. Valley Corp prefers this method.
• Cast-in-situ pile foundations are used when the surrounding soil is too soft for traditional driven piles; here, a hole is dug or bored in the soil, and a reinforced concrete foundation is laid for the overlying piles.
• Driven cast-in-situ piles split the difference between the above methods, driving a hollow tube into the soil, filling it with concrete, then installing the sheet pile.