SIST EN 12063:2024

Execution of special geotechnical work - Sheet pile walls, combined pile walls, high modulus walls

This document specifies requirements, recommendations and information concerning the execution of permanent or temporary sheet pile wall, combined pile walls, high modulus wall structures and the handling of equipment and materials.
This document does not give requirements and recommendations for the installation of specific parts of the structure such as ground anchorages, displacement piles and micropiles which are covered by other documents.
This document is applicable to steel sheet pile walls, combined walls, high modulus walls, and synthetic sheet pile walls (composite), precast concrete and timber sheet pile walls. Tubular piles included in combined walls and high modulus walls can be filled with concrete.
Composite structures such as Berliner walls and sheet pile walls in combination with shotcrete, are not covered by this document.

Ausführung von Arbeiten im Spezialtiefbau - Spundwandkonstruktionen

Dieses Dokument legt Anforderungen, Empfehlungen und Hinweise über die Ausführung von verbleibenden oder temporären Spundwandkonstruktionen, kombinierten Spundwänden und Trägerpfahlwänden, sowie über die Handhabung von Geräten und Materialien fest.
Dieses Dokument beinhaltet keine Anforderungen und Empfehlungen für die Errichtung von spezifischen Teilen des Bauwerkes, wie etwa Ankern, Verdrängungspfählen und Mikropfählen, die in anderen Dokumenten behandelt werden.
Dieses Dokument ist lediglich anwendbar für Stahlspundwände, kombinierte Spundwände, Trägerpfahlwände und Kunststoffspundwände (Verbundstoff), vorgefertigte Betonspundwände und Holzspundwände. Rohrpfähle in kombinierten Spundwänden und Trägerpfahlwände können mit Beton gefüllt sein.
Konstruktionen aus unterschiedlichen Baustoffen, wie z. B. Berliner Verbau oder Spundwandkonstruktionen mit Spritzbeton werden in diesem Dokument nicht behandelt.

Exécution des travaux géotechniques spéciaux - Rideaux de palplanches, rideaux mixtes, rideaux à forte inertie

Ce document spécifie les prescriptions, les recommandations et des informations concernant l'exécution des structures permanentes ou temporaires en rideaux de palplanches, rideaux mixtes et rideaux à forte inertie et celles relatives à la manutention des équipements et des profilés.
Ce document ne donne pas de prescriptions ni de recommandations pour la mise en place des éléments spécifiques de structure, comme les tirants d'ancrage, les pieux mis en place par refoulement du sol et les micropieux, qui sont couverts par d'autres normes.
Ce document s’applique aux rideaux de palplanches en acier, aux rideaux mixtes, aux rideaux à forte inertie, aux rideaux de palplanches synthétiques, aux rideaux de palplanches en béton préfabriqué et en bois. Les profilés tubulaires intégrés aux rideaux mixtes et à forte inertie peuvent être remplis de béton.
Les structures composées, comme les parois berlinoises et les parois formées de palplanches et de béton projeté, ne sont pas traitées par le présent document.

Izvedba posebnih geotehničnih del - Zagatne stene, kombinirane zagatne stene, visoke modularne stene

Ta standard določa zahteve, priporočila in informacije v zvezi z izvedbo trajnih ali začasnih zagatnih sten ter ravnanjem z opremo in materiali.
Ne podaja zahtev in priporočil za vgradnjo posebnih delov konstrukcije, kot so talna sidra in piloti, ki so zajeti v drugih kodeksih.
Uporablja se samo za jeklene zagatne stene, kombinirane stene, visoke modularne stene, sintetične zagatne stene (sestavljene) ter betonske in lesene zagatne stene.
Ta dokument ne zajema sestavljenih konstrukcij, kot so berlinske stene in zagatne stene v kombinaciji z brizganim betonom.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Public Enquiry End Date: 14-Sep-2020
• Publication Date: 10-Jun-2024
• ICS: 93.020 - Earthworks. Excavations. Foundation construction. Underground works
• Technical Committee: KON.007 - Geotechnics
• Current Stage: 6060 - National Implementation/Publication (Adopted Project)
• Start Date: 29-May-2024
• Due Date: 03-Aug-2024
• Completion Date: 11-Jun-2024
• Ref Project: EN 12063:2024 - Execution of special geotechnical work - Sheet pile walls, combined pile walls, high modulus walls

Relations

• Revised: SIST EN 12063:2002 - Execution of special geotechnical work - Sheet-pile walls
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2024

Overview - SIST EN 12063:2024 (Sheet pile walls, combined pile walls, high modulus walls)

SIST EN 12063:2024 is the European/SIST standard for the execution of special geotechnical works involving sheet pile walls, combined pile walls and high modulus walls. Adopted by CEN in April–May 2024 (superseding EN 12063:1999), it sets out requirements, recommendations and information for the installation, handling and execution of permanent and temporary sheet pile structures. The standard applies to steel, synthetic (composite), precast concrete and timber sheet piles, and to tubular piles included in combined or high modulus walls (tubular piles may be concrete-filled). It does not cover certain composite systems (e.g., Berliner walls, shotcrete combinations) or the installation of specific elements such as ground anchorages, displacement piles and micropiles, which are addressed in other documents.

Key technical topics and requirements

The standard covers planning and on-site execution topics relevant to safe, durable and watertight sheet pile installations:

• Information and execution classes - required project data, design assumptions and execution class selection.
• Site investigation & driveability - geotechnical investigations needed to assess driveability and design input.
• Materials and products - acceptance criteria for steel, timber, synthetic and precast piles; corrosion protection and preservation; sealings for interlocks; Environmental Product Declarations (EPD).
• Design-related considerations - pile type selection, sequence of works, interaction with other structural elements.
• Installation and tolerances - handling, storage, welding, cutting, driving/installation methods, positional and verticality tolerances, corrections during driving.
• Ancillary works - walings, struts, anchorages (installation guidance), excavation, dewatering and extraction.
• Quality assurance - supervision, testing, monitoring, site records and completion documentation.
• Safety and environmental aspects - noise, impact on surrounding structures and permeability/watertightness assessments.
• Normative and informative annexes - detailed guidance on handling, welding, driving assistance, timber/precast/synthetic piles, watertightness calculations and monitoring.

Practical applications & who uses this standard

SIST EN 12063:2024 is used by:

• Geotechnical and civil engineers specifying and designing retaining and excavation support systems.
• Specialist contractors executing sheet pile walls and combined/high modulus walls.
• Project managers and clients to define contractual requirements, acceptance criteria and site records.
• Inspection and testing teams for supervision, monitoring and quality control.
• Authorities and planners referencing recognised execution standards in permit and compliance processes.

Typical applications include temporary excavation support for foundations and basements, permanent quay walls, flood protection, cofferdams and retaining structures where sheet pile walls, combined pile walls or high modulus walls are appropriate.

Related standards and exclusions

• EN 12063:2024 excludes specific installation rules for ground anchorages, displacement piles and micropiles - consult the respective EN standards covering those elements.
• It supersedes EN 12063:1999 and should be used in conjunction with other geotechnical and structural standards referenced within the document.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-julij-2024
Izvedba posebnih geotehničnih del - Zagatne stene, kombinirane zagatne stene,
visoke modularne stene
Execution of special geotechnical work - Sheet pile walls, combined pile walls, high
modulus walls
Ausführung von Arbeiten im Spezialtiefbau - Spundwandkonstruktionen
Exécution des travaux géotechniques spéciaux - Rideaux de palplanches, rideaux
mixtes, rideaux à forte inertie
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 12063:2024
ICS:
93.020 Zemeljska dela. Izkopavanja. Earthworks. Excavations.
Gradnja temeljev. Dela pod Foundation construction.
zemljo Underground works
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EN 12063
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
May 2024
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 93.020 Supersedes EN 12063:1999
English Version
Execution of special geotechnical work - Sheet pile walls,
combined pile walls, high modulus walls
Exécution des travaux géotechniques spéciaux - Ausführung von Arbeiten im Spezialtiefbau -
Rideaux de palplanches, rideaux mixtes, rideaux à forte Spundwandkonstruktionen
inertie
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 15 April 2024.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2024 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN 12063:2024 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 5
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references . 6
3 Terms and definitions and symbols . 8
3.1 Terms and definitions . 8
4 Information needed for the execution of the work . 20
4.1 General information . 20
4.2 Specific information . 21
4.3 Execution classes . 22
5 Site investigation. 22
5.1 Geotechnical investigation . 22
5.2 Specific requirements . 22
5.3 Driveability of sheet piles . 23
6 Materials and products . 24
6.1 Steel sheet piles and other steel components . 24
6.2 Timber sheet piles . 24
6.3 Synthetic sheet piles . 24
6.4 Other materials and products . 24
6.5 Corrosion protection for steel sheet piles and preservation of timber and synthetic
sheet piles . 24
6.6 Sealings for interlock connections . 24
6.7 Environmental product declaration (EPD) . 25
7 Considerations related to design . 25
7.1 General. 25
7.2 Selection of a pile type . 25
7.3 Other structural elements . 26
7.4 Sequence of execution . 26
7.5 Specific design related considerations . 27
8 Execution of sheet pile wall structures . 28
8.1 General. 28
8.2 Site preparation. 28
8.3 Storage and handling of the sheet piles . 28
8.4 Welding and cutting of steel elements . 29
8.5 Installation . 50
8.6 Tolerances regarding plan position and verticality . 54
8.7 Corrections of pile position during driving . 55
8.8 Installation of anchorages . 56
8.9 Walings and struts . 56
8.10 Excavation, backfilling, draining and de-watering . 57
8.11 Extraction of sheet piles . 58
8.12 Rock dowels and anchor bolts. 58
8.13 Sealing . 60
9 Supervision, testing and monitoring . 60
9.1 Supervision . 60
9.2 Testing . 61
9.3 Monitoring. 61
10 Site records . 62
10.1 Records in connection with execution . 62
10.2 Records at completion of the execution works . 62
11 Special requirements . 62
11.1 Safety . 62
11.2 Impact on the surrounding buildings and installations . 63
11.3 Noise hindrance . 63
11.4 Permeability of pile walls . 63
Annex A (informative) Handling and storage of sheet piles. 64
A.1 General . 64
A.2 Hoisting . 64
A.3 Storage . 68
A.4 Special devices . 71
Annex B (normative) Welding of sheet piles . 76
B.1 General . 76
B.2 Butt welding multiple lengths . 76
B.3 Welding multiple lengths by splicing with plates . 77
B.4 Junction piles (U and Z-form piles) for jointing a part wall element to the main wall
................................................................................................................................................................... 78
B.5 Special corner piles . 80
B.6 Straight web junction pile . 81
B.7 Box piles . 84
B.8 Sealing welds . 86
Annex C (informative) Driving of sheet piles . 90
C.1 General . 90
Annex D (informative) Installation and driving assistance. 92
D.1 Driving method for standard sheet pile walls . 92
D.2 Driving method for combined sheet pile walls . 94
D.3 Driving assistance . 95
Annex E (informative) Watertightness of interlock sealings . 97
E.1 General considerations . 97
E.2 A simple case of assessing the discharge through a steel sheet pile wall . 98
E.3 Worked example for the assessment of the total inflow into a building pit . 100
Annex F (normative) Timber sheet piles and walings . 101
F.1 General . 101
F.2 Delivery of timber sheet piles and walings . 101
F.3 Quality requirements . 101
F.4 Transport and storage . 102
F.5 Tolerances . 102
F.6 Joints . 102
F.7 Corner sheet piles . 103
F.8 Execution . 104
Annex G (normative) Additional tolerance for tubular piles . 110
G.1 General. 110
Annex H (informative) Ground movement due to installation . 112
H.1 General. 112
H.2 Definitions . 112
H.3 Ground movements due to installation . 112
Annex I (normative) Precast concrete sheet piles and capping beams . 119
I.1 General. 119
I.2 Delivery of precast sheet piles and capping beams . 119
I.3 Quality requirements . 119
I.4 Transport and storage . 120
I.5 Tolerances . 120
I.6 Joints . 120
I.7 Corner sheet piles . 120
I.8 Execution . 121
I.9 Concrete capping beam. 122
Annex J (normative) Synthetic sheet piles . 124
J.1 General. 124
J.2 Delivery of synthetic sheet piles. 124
J.3 Quality requirements . 125

J.4 Tolerances . 125
J.5 Transport and storage . 125
J.6 Further processing/machining of the synthetic sheet piles . 126
J.7 Installation . 127
Annex K (informative) Percussive drilling as installation method for tubular piles . 128
K.1 General. 128
K.2 Drilling method . 129
K.3 Special considerations . 130
Bibliography . 133

European foreword
This document (EN 12063:2024) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 288 “Execution of
special geotechnical works”, the secretariat of which is held by AFNOR.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by November 2024, and conflicting national standards shall
be withdrawn at the latest by November 2024.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document supersedes EN 12063:1999.
The general scope of TC 288 is the standardization of the execution procedures for geotechnical works
(including testing and control methods) and of the required material properties. WG19 has been charged
to revise EN 12063:1999, with the subject area of sheet pile walls.
In comparison with the previous edition EN 12063:1999, the following technical modifications have been
made:
— the document has been technically revised;
— normative reference has been updated;
— all figures have been revised;
— combined pile walls, high modulus walls, synthetic sheet pile walls, precast concrete sheet pile walls
and timber sheet pile walls have been added in the scope;
— execution classes have been introduced in the document;
— five new annexes were added:
— Annex G, Additional tolerance for tubular piles;
— Annex H, Ground movement due to installation;
— Annex I, Precast concrete sheet piles and capping beams;
— Annex J, Synthetic sheet piles;
— Annex K, Percussive drilling as installation method for tubular piles.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards body.
A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North
Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the United
Kingdom.
1 Scope
This document specifies requirements, recommendations and information concerning the execution of
permanent or temporary sheet pile walls, combined pile walls, high modulus wall structures and the
handling of equipment and materials.
This document does not give requirements and recommendations for the installation of specific parts of
the structure such as ground anchorages, displacement piles and micropiles which are covered by other
documents.
This document is applicable to steel sheet pile walls, combined walls, high modulus walls, synthetic sheet
pile walls (composite), precast concrete sheet pile walls and timber sheet pile walls. Tubular piles
included in combined walls and high modulus walls can be filled with concrete.
Composite structures such as Berliner walls and sheet pile walls in combination with shotcrete, are not
covered by this document.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 1090-2, Execution of steel structures and aluminium structures - Part 2: Technical requirements for steel
structures
EN 1537, Execution of special geotechnical works - Ground anchors
EN 1992 (all parts), Eurocodes 2: Design of concrete structures
EN 1993-1-1, Eurocode 3 - Design of steel structures - Part 1-1: General rules and rules for buildings
EN 1993-5, Eurocode 3 - Design of steel structures - Part 5: Piling
EN 1997 (all parts), Eurocode 7: Geotechnical design
EN 10020, Definition and classification of grades of steel
EN 10079, Definition of steel products
EN 10219-1, Cold formed welded structural hollow sections of non-alloy and fine grain steels - Part 1:
Technical delivery conditions
EN 10219-2, Cold formed welded steel structural hollow sections - Part 2: Tolerances, dimensions and
sectional properties
EN 10248-1, Hot-rolled steel sheet piles - Part 1: Technical delivery conditions
EN 10248-2, Hot rolled sheet piling of non alloy steels - Part 2: Tolerances on shape and dimensions
EN 10249-1, Cold formed sheet piling of non alloy steels - Part 1: Technical delivery conditions
EN 10249-2, Cold formed sheet piling of non alloy steels - Part 2: Tolerances on shape and dimensions
EN 12699, Execution of special geotechnical works - Displacement piles
EN 14199, Execution of special geotechnical works - Micropiles
EN 15804, Sustainability of construction works - Environmental product declarations - Core rules for the
product category of construction products
EN 16228-1, Drilling and foundation equipment - Safety - Part 1: Common requirements
EN 16228-2, Drilling and foundation equipment - Safety - Part 2: Mobile drill rigs for civil and geotechnical
engineering, quarrying and mining
EN 16228-4, Drilling and foundation equipment - Safety - Part 4: Foundation equipment
EN 16228-6, Drilling and foundation equipment - Safety - Part 6: Jetting, grouting and injection equipment
EN 16228-7, Drilling and foundation equipment - Safety - Part 7: Interchangeable auxiliary equipment
EN ISO 3834-3, Quality requirements for fusion welding of metallic materials - Part 3: Standard quality
requirements (ISO 3834-3:2021)
EN ISO 3834-4, Quality requirements for fusion welding of metallic materials - Part 4: Elementary quality
requirements (ISO 3834-4:2021)
EN ISO 5817, Welding - Fusion-welded joints in steel, nickel, titanium and their alloys (beam welding
excluded) - Quality levels for imperfections (ISO 5817:2023)
EN ISO 9606-1, Qualification testing of welders - Fusion welding - Part 1: Steels (ISO 9606-1:2012 including
Cor 1:2012 and Cor 2:2013)
EN ISO 9692-1, Welding and allied processes - Types of joint preparation - Part 1: Manual metal arc welding,
gas-shielded metal arc welding, gas welding, TIG welding and beam welding of steels (ISO 9692-1:2013)
EN ISO 9692-2, Welding and allied processes - Joint preparation - Part 2: Submerged arc welding of steels
(ISO 9692-2:2024)
EN ISO 15607, Specification and qualification of welding procedures for metallic materials - General rules
(ISO 15607:2019)
EN ISO 15609-1, Specification and qualification of welding procedures for metallic materials - Welding
procedure specification - Part 1: Arc welding (ISO 15609-1:2019)
EN ISO 22477 (all parts), Geotechnical investigation and testing - Testing of geotechnical structures
(ISO 22477)
3 Terms and definitions and symbols
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp
3.1 Terms and definitions
3.1.1
anchorage
anchoring system for the sheet pile wall, for example anchor plates or anchor walls including the
connecting rods (tie rods), screw anchors, ground and rock anchors, and drilled anchors with grouted or
expanded bodies
Note 1 to entry: Anchors can be pre-stressed (active) or not (passive).
3.1.2
auxiliary structures
structure necessary for the proper and safe execution of the sheet piling works, example, a guiding system
3.1.3
bracing
system of waling and struts to support the structure
3.1.4
combined pile wall or
combined wall
embedded retaining wall composed of primary and secondary elements
Note 1 to entry: The primary elements are normally steel tubular piles, H piles or box types, spaced uniformly along
the length of the wall. The secondary elements are generally steel sheet piles of various types installed in the spaces
between the primary elements and connected to them by interlocks (see Figure 1).
3.1.5
comparable experience
documented, or other clearly established information related to the ground and installation conditions,
involving similar types of soil and rock and for which similar behaviour is expected
Note 1 to entry: Information gained locally is considered to be particularly relevant.
3.1.6
connector
hot rolled or fabricated device that connects adjacent piles by means of a thumb and finger or similar
configuration to make a continuous wall
Note 1 to entry: Connectors perform the same function as interlocks but are fabricated separately and not as an
integral part of the pile.
3.1.7
crimping
preventing differential movement of adjacent sheet piles by locally deforming the interlock connection
Note 1 to entry: Used for shear transmission in U-shaped sheet piles and for safe handling.
3.1.8
cushion
material, fitted into a recess in the driving cap, which smooths the impact force of the falling hammer on
the driving cap and on the head of the sheet pile
3.1.9
de-clutching
disconnection of the interlock connection during pile driving
3.1.10
de-clutching detector
instrument for determining the integrity of the interlock connection, that is whether adjacent pile
interlocks are fully engaged during and/or after installation
3.1.11
driving
method, or combination of methods, for installing a pile into the ground to the required depth
Note 1 to entry: See EN 1993-5
EXAMPLE impact, vibrating, pressing, resonance, screwing.
3.1.12
driving assistance
method to reduce the penetration resistance during driving
EXAMPLE jetting, pre-drilling, blasting.
3.1.13
driving cap
device, placed on the top of the sheet pile which transmits the blow of the hammer evenly, thereby
preventing damage of the sheet pile head
Note 1 to entry: See Figure 5.
3.1.14
driving method
method of driving such as panel driving, pitch and drive, staggered driving by means of impact, vibration,
pressing or by a combination of these
3.1.15
execution class
classified set of requirements specified for the execution of the works as a whole, of an individual sheet
pile or of a detail of a sheet pile
3.1.16
ground release shackle or
quick release shackle
automatic device for safety lifting sheet piles from the ground and placing them in the vertical position
Note 1 to entry: See Annex A and Figure A.8.
3.1.17
guide frame
frame consisting of one or more stiff guide beams, normally of steel or wood, to position and maintain the
alignment of sheet piles during pitching and driving
3.1.18
hammer
part of piling equipment for driving sheet piles by percussion impact
3.1.19
high modulus wall
retaining wall formed by interlocking primary steel elements that have the same geometry
Note 1 to entry: The elements can consist of fabricated profiles, see Figure 3 and Figure 4, to obtain a high section
modulus.
3.1.20
interlock connection
portion of a sheet pile that connects adjacent elements by means of a thumb and finger or similar
configuration to make a continuous wall
Note 1 to entry: Interlock connections for steel sheet piles can be described as:
— free: threaded interlocks that are neither crimped nor welded;
— crimped: interlocks of threaded single piles that have been mechanically connected by crimped points to form
a shear connection;
— welded: interlocks of threaded single piles that have been mechanically connected by continuous or
intermittent partial penetration butt welds to form a shear connection.
3.1.21
leader
beam or similar structure, attached to the driving rig, to guide the sheet pile and the hammer (or the
vibrator) during driving
Note 1 to entry: See Figure 5, Figure 6 and Figure 7.
3.1.22
leader slide
guiding device connecting the drive cap and/or the hammer to the leader
Note 1 to entry: See Figure 5 and Figure 6.
3.1.23
leading mandrel
steel template connected to the synthetic or wooden pile to be installed, to guide the alter and to loosen
the ground
Note 1 to entry: See Annex J.
3.1.24
leading system
whole system to guide the sheet pile and the driving device during driving
Note 1 to entry: See Figure 7.
3.1.25
mandrel
steel template enabling the installation process of a synthetic or wooden pile
Note 1 to entry: See Annex J.
3.1.26
refusal
lack of ability of a pile to be driven further due to limitations of driving energy, elastic limit of material,
or ground conditions
Note 1 to entry: Refusal criteria shall be agreed between parties and shall relate time, energy and penetration
move.
3.1.27
rock dowel
rod protruding from the toe of the sheet pile, used for fixing sheet piles to the bed-rock
Note 1 to entry: See Figure 30.
3.1.28
sheet pile press
leader guided or self-walking device pushing statically the sheet piles into the ground
Note 1 to entry: See Figure 8 and Figure 9.
3.1.29
sheet pile wall
line of sheet piles that forms a continuous wall by threading of the interlocks
3.1.30
sheet pile wall structure
structure, consisting of sheet piles, ground and rock, anchorages, bracing and/or walings, which retains
ground and/or water
Note 1 to entry: The elements are shown in Figure 10.
3.1.31
site investigation
investigations on and near site to verify geotechnical conditions, find out existing structures above and
below ground and their foundations and possible drivability tests
3.1.32
splice plate
steel plate which joins two lengths of sheet pile together
Note 1 to entry: See Annex B, Figure B.2.
3.1.33
steel sheet pile
product obtained by hot rolling or cold forming steel (e.g. drawing, bending, roll forming) to a shape such
that, by interlocking of the joints or fitting of longitudinal grooves or by means of special fasteners, it
forms partitions or continuous walls
3.1.34
straight web sheet pile
flat or slightly bend sheet pile section with interlocks, which is mainly working in tension only, generally
used in circular or diaphragm cells
Note 1 to entry: See Figure 2.
3.1.35
strut
long compression member, usually of steel, wood or reinforced concrete, for the support of the sheet pile
walls and normally connected to the walings
Note 1 to entry: It can be pre-stressed.
3.1.36
synthetic sheet pile
extruded sheet piles of polymer and fibres
Note 1 to entry: See Annex J.
3.1.37
template
specific type of guide frame, used for positioning curved and angled sheet pile walls
Note 1 to entry: They often incorporate a working platform or access staging for piling operators.
3.1.38
threader
device fixed to the toe of a sheet pile to guide the sheet pile into the interlock of a sheet pile already placed
in the guide frame
Note 1 to entry: See Annex A and Figure A.12.
3.1.39
travelling mandrel
steel template with the same geometry as the synthetic or wooden pile to be installed, enabling the
installation process
Note 1 to entry: See Figure 27 and Annex J.
3.1.40
vibrator
vibrating unit for the driving and the extraction of the sheet piles and the primary and secondary
elements of a combined wall
3.1.41
waling
horizontal beam, usually of steel or reinforced concrete, fixed to the retaining wall and used to transmit
the design support force for the wall into the anchors, tension piles or struts

Key
a tubes + sheet piles c Z box piles + Z sheet piles
b U box piles + U sheet piles d H beams + Z sheet piles
Figure 1 — Examples of combined walls
Key
r
initial radius of the main cell in a cellular cofferdam
m
P
design value of the internal pressure acting in the main cell of a cellular cofferdam
m,Ed
F
design value of the circumferential tensile force in a cellular cofferdam
t,Ed
Figure 2 — Example of cell made of straight web sheet piles

Key
a H beam b connector welded to H beam
Figure 3 — Example of high modulus wall with H-Piles
Key
a outer diameter of reamers d pile with wide connector installed second
b non-rotating pile tube e rotational direction of pilot bit and reamer
c pile with narrow connector installed first f direction of propagation
Figure 4 — Example of high modulus wall with tubular piles

Key
a impact hammer d sliding guide
b cushion e driving cap
c leader f leader slide
Figure 5 — Example of a driving cap
Key
A H beam leader a square profile
B tubular leader b round profile
C truss leader c leader slide
D triangular leader
Figure 6 — Examples of leading systems
Key
a hammer d leader
b driving cap e pile guide
c sheet pile
NOTE Exhaustive list of driving method is given in EN 16228-1, EN 16228-2, EN 16228-4, EN 16228-6 and
EN 16228-7.
Figure 7 — Example of a sheet pile driving rig with fixed leader
Figure 8 — Example of a self-walking press
Figure 9 — Example of a leader-guided press
Key
a sheet piles e tie rod
b strut f anchor plate or screen (deadman)
c waling g variable angle
d rock dowel h ground anchor or tension pile
Figure 10 — Examples of sheet pile wall structures
4 Information needed for the execution of the work
4.1 General information
The following information shall be made available or otherwise dealt with before the execution of the
work:
— location maps of the construction site, including access roads and possible hindrances;
— level and position of fixed reference points at or near the construction site;
— limitations concerning the access for equipment and materials;
— location of all services such as electricity, telephone, water and gas supply pipes and sewers;
— geotechnical data of the construction site:
— composition and stratification of the ground and its variation across the site;
— strength and deformation properties of the soil and rock layers;
— the possible presence of stones and boulders in the ground;
— the possibility of cohesive ground adhering to the piles when extracted (see 8.11);
— hydrogeological data of the area of the construction site;
— specifications of the sheet pile walls, including all details such as type, profile, grade, protection and
preservation systems and whether any fixings of the interlocks are required to ensure transmission
of the longitudinal shear forces;
— presence of sensitive buildings and/or installations near the construction site;
— restrictions concerning noise, vibrations and settlement;
— restrictions concerning driving method and driving assistance;
— restrictions regarding the permeability of the sheet pile wall for water or other fluids;
— various stages of the execution of the sheet pile wall structure required by the design;
— in the case of waterfront structures; the water levels and their fluctuations (amplitude, frequency
and the cause of the fluctuations, e.g. discharge of a barrage, tide, etc.);
— data regarding possible ground contamination;
— a list of any identified specific items to be investigated (see 4.2);
— refusal criteria;
— execution class or classes (EXC), see 4.3.
4.2 Specific information
4.2.1 The following specific information shall be made available or otherwise dealt with before the
beginning of the works:
— all specific design information which is required for the execution;
— restrictions related to the presence, at or near the site, of ground anchors, cathodic protection devices
and similar;
— presence of unexploded munitions;
— the history of the building site: presence of foundation remnants or other artificial elements in the
ground.
4.2.2 Information about the following matters should be made available or otherwise dealt with before
the beginning of the work:
— special aspects particular to the project, such as corrosion and abrasion problems;
— comparable experience from works in the neighbourhood or from similar works carried out under
similar conditions;
— the condition of nearby buildings, structures or installations and the nature and depth of their
foundation;
— data about adverse weather conditions, for example, wind conditions and frequency;
— severe frost action in the ground, where this can lead to overstressing of the sheet pile wall.
4.3 Execution classes
4.3.1 Four execution classes 1 to 4, denoted EXC1 to EXC4, are given, for which requirement strictness
increases from EXC1 to EXC3 with EXC4 being based on EXC3 with further project specific requirements.
The execution specification shall specify the relevant execution class or classes.
NOTE Provision for the selection of an appropriate execution class are given in EN 1993-1-1 and EN 1993-5.
4.3.2 In addition to the provisions for the selection of an appropriate execution class according to
EN 1993-1-1 and EN 1993-5, the following provisions shall apply:
1) permanent structures should be executed in minimum EXC2;
2) if not specified, EXC2 should be applied for permanent structures and EXC1 for temporary structures.
5 Site investigation
5.1 Geotechnical investigation
5.1.1 General
5.1.1.1 The geotechnical investigation shall fulfil the requirements of EN 1997 (all parts).
NOTE Guidance is given in EN 1997-2 on the depth and the contents of investigations.
5.1.1.2 The depth and the extent of the geotechnical investigation should be sufficient to identify all
ground formations and layers affecting the construction, to determine the relevant properties of the
ground and to recognize the ground conditions (e.g. where end bearing is to be relied on, it should
demonstrate that any competent founding stratum is not immediately underlain by a weaker stratum
where there is a possibility of a punching failure or excessive movements).
5.1.1.3 Relevant experience of the execution of comparable foundation works under similar
conditions and/or in the vicinity of the site should be taken into account when determining the extent of
site investigation (reference to relevant experience is permitted if appropriate means of verification are
taken, e.g. by penetration, pressuremeter or other tests).
5.1.1.4 When additional soil and rock data are required for the selection of driving methods,
procedures, equipment, auxiliary structures etc. or for checking the execution, the investigation shall
comply with EN 1997-2.
5.1.1.5 The geotechnical investigation report shall be available in time, to allow for reliable design
and execution of pile walls, (e.g. the choice of method of execution).
5.1.1.6 The sufficiency of the geotechnical investigation shall be checked for the design and execution
of the pile walls.
5.1.1.7 If the geotechnical investigations are not sufficient, a supplementary investigation shall be
conducted.
5.2 Specific requirements
5.2.1 Particular attention shall be paid to the following aspects, which are relevant to the execution of
pile walls:
S
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