U-Shape Piles U-type sheet piles are not generally used in North America as they are not as efficien
U-type sheet piles are not generally used in North America as they are not as efficient or economical as Z-type sheet piles. Interlocks on u-type piles are located on the neutral axis of the pile, so the sheet piles must be crimped in order to achieve their full capacity. These types of sheet piles are still available in the international market.
Flat Sheet Piles
Flat sheet piles are used for circular cell applications where the cells form a gravity structure. The sheet piles are interlocked together to form individual cells, or a series of cells, and are then filled with soil. Whereas z-type sheet piles require resistance in bending, the strength of the flat sheets come from their interlocks. Flat sheet interlocks are larger than those on z-type sheet piles and are designed to resist significant tensile forces. Flat sheet piles have limited bending capacity.