Sheet piles are sections of sheet materials with interlocking edges that are driven into the ground to provide earth retention and excavation support. Sheet piles are most commonly made of steel. Sheet piles are commonly used for retaining walls, land reclamation, underground structures such as car parks and basements, in marine locations for riverbank protection, seawalls, or cofferdams
Featured Project
John Ball Zoo
Grand Rapids, MI
Alcona Dam
Glennie, MI
Project Details
The John Ball Zoo Entry Valley project included multiple improvements to the main entry area of the zoo including: utilities, retaining walls, roads, sidewalks, fencing, landscaping, and parking. Hardman was contracted to do the steel sheet piling and anchors for the access road.
Hardman Construction contracted with Consumers Energy to install a 1500 LF sheet pile wall by barge in front of the existing core wall at Alcona Dam in Glennie, MI. After Sheet pile installation additional concrete was poured between the sheet pile and existing core wall. Also a trash rake retaining wall and new road were built to assist in cleaning the trash rake on the dam. Hardman also had to build the access road and dock to launch the crane and equipment on barges. The project took 5 months and the old plans from the original dam did not have accurate stationing so adjustments to the wall while driving sheets had to be made because of the conflicts with the existing footings. The lake bed soil also settled causing an over run in concrete. This was complicated because of the distance redimix trucks needed to travel to the site. The pours had to be shortened to ensure pour out with sufficient time for the trucks to make it back to their yard.