A secant pile wall consists of overlapping (secant) piles to form structural or cutoff walls and achieve the required water tightness. The design can incorporate steel bar or beams for reinforcement and anchors can provide additional lateral support, if needed.

Secant pile walls technique image

Common uses

Enable and support excavations
Support wing walls
Water cut off for drainage channels
Slope stabilisation

Process

Secant pile walls consist of reinforced and non-reinforced piles. The unreinforced piles are usually installed first and consist of cement/bentonite or weak concrete. The reinforced piles are then installed and the reinforcement can be either cages or I-beams.

When deflection criteria is tight, secant pile walls can be retained by anchors or strutting systems either as temporary or permanent retention.

Specialist Contact | Richard Smith - richard.smith1@keller.com - +44 (0)7918 632800

Advantages

Can be constructed and form excavations in areas of high water table
Can be designed with minimal deformation and settlement on the outside
Can carry high loads from surrounding structures
Less vibration during construction

Quality assurance

To maintain verticality we usually construct our own guide walls. We use the latest technology, testing regimes and best practice protocols developed over many years to ensure the position, verticality and structural integrity of our pile walls.