Premium Composite Sheet Piling System

Plastic Piling, when first developed, consisted of PVC extruded into a shape replicating that of existing steel sheet piles.  This initial substitution of steel for PVC, provided many advantages, but the use of such products from a structural view point, was always limited.

It was an exceptionally novel concept, but it was deemed, at that point, that the final product must emulate a steel pile, in order for it to be accepted.

Sheet Piles obtain their strength from the material used, and the shape of the sheet pile. 

PVC has several advantages over steel, but strength is not one of them.  Combine this with a similar geometry, and the plastic pile equivalent is not in the same league.  For many years it appeared that PVC piles would never provide a viable alternative, either because they were too weak or too exaggerated and clumsy.

Plastic piling has developed in two ways. Firstly, as seen with the Advanced designs, the piles shape or geometry has been optimised to permit ways of improving installation and strength. 

A second way of producing stronger Sheet Piles is shown on this page.  The use of polyester composites, is a means of improving material strength, both in the short term for installation and the long term  to avoid  material creep.

The Composite is a thermoset plastic resin with internal glass fibre matting.  The matting has a variety of configurations to maximise strength of the product.

With the advent of Composite Sheet Piles, heavy duty options became a more realistic possibility.  With a given strength they are lighter than PVC, much shallower and easier to install.  With a given geometry, composite sheet piles are greater in  strength and so provide more cantilever options, whilst PVC piles tend to reside within anchored designs.

APE Plastic Piling is extremely pleased to represent 'Creative Pultrusion Inc.' and its SuperLoc range in the UK.    This innovative and proven product range is supported by Composite expert Bob Lee of Lee Composites.   Bob will be participating on this site via his own blog.

The SuperLoc range consists of four sheet piles. These piles use a conventional or traditional steel pile shape, and exhibit superior properties to PVC piles of the same dimensions.  What makes the SuperLoc so much more conducive, is that the Advanced material is not limited to the sheet piles, which is only a part of the system, but is applied through a patented system of composite components. 

This provides the end user with a fully synthetic solution, from pile to anchoring system.  It is based upon the fact that all sheet piling solutions, (specifically those that utilise an anchored design) support systems added to the pile are only as strong as the weakest component.  PVC piles used with steel or timber components, will often outlive these non-synthetic anchors and whalers, leading to a premature failure in systems reliant upon these.

These products have proven of greater interest to those clients, who  want the best, and refuse to compromise.  They want the job doing once and properly and as such, for them there is no other product.