Shoring is a temporary structure that offers support to an unstable environment during a construction project. Shoring techniques are most often used during the excavation process to avoid retained soil overturning. However, there are many other situations in which you may need to use shoring. Fixing bulged walls, repairing cracked walls, pulling down an adjacent structure, and making openings in a wall are just a few other reasons for the use of shoring.
When starting a project that will require some kind of shoring, it is important to decide what type of shoring is necessary for the construction. Different factors like the type of soil on the worksite, the proximity of the site to other structures, and the environment of the site will affect the decision-making process. We’ve laid out the details of the most common types of shoring found in construction projects.
Contiguous Pile Shoring (Tangent Pile)
Tangent pile shoring is recommended for areas with clay soil or where there is very minimal water pressure. This is because it helps retain dry granular material by allowing water to seep through the gap in the piles. This method is not suitable for areas with a high water table, although grouting the gaps in the pile can help form a watertight wall.
Prior to installation, construct a guide beam to guide the process. Then, put piles next to each other to create long rows that are tightly spaced.
Diaphragm Walls
Diaphragm walls are one of the most common types of shoring used with deep excavations, like creating basements and tunnels. This is because most other shoring types are not strong enough to reach deep excavations.
The technique uses reinforced concrete, which is stronger and lasts longer than other shoring types. The way the walls are built is highly flexible, as its design considers the load that needs to be resisted. However, this method requires heavy machinery and other expensive equipment. It is also difficult to remove and may become part of the permanent structure.
H or I-Beam Shoring (Soldier Pile Walls)
Soldier pile walls support the excavation phase of a project with holes with a depth between 50 inches and 200 inches (or 1.2 meters to 5 meters). This technique is highly affected by the type of soil at the worksite.
Depending on the soil type, you can either install prefabricated steel beams into the ground by first drilling the soil, or implant the steel beams without drilling by vibrating directly into the ground. To construct the shoring wall, concrete panels are pre-cast and placed between the steel beams after they’ve been installed.
Secant Pile Shoring
Secant pile shoring construction is great for cases where there is no room for open excavation, especially if an existing structure is nearby.
This technique involves the intersection of two combinations of piles: a reinforced and an un-reinforced pile. The primary wall is the sturdier wall, and the secondary wall is the temporarily unstable wall. Concrete is poured into the primary pile and a heavy casing is installed at the intervening pile location to form an interlocked, continuous wall
Sheet Piles
Sheet piles are the ideal choice when excavating near a body of water, as the sheets can keep water from getting through the wall. This is the most common technique when constructing ports and harbors. When dealing with the appearance of groundwater, professionals just need to tightly weld the longitudinal joints between the sections. This method is also useful when attempting to retain soil, especially when no boulders are present.
To create sheet piles, a Vibro hammer is used to drive prefabricated steel sections into the ground. These piles are then connected to form a shoring wall. Sheet pile walls are typically temporary structures, but can be installed permanently for places like a marine key wall.
Trekker Group provides the most reliable shoring systems, materials, and engineering support for all of your construction needs. Proceed confidently with the best materials and engineering plans for your job by contacting us today.
