When constructing marine structures like seawalls and waterfronts, the concern has always been on the best materials. Firstly, seawalls and waterfronts are constructed to control or prevent floods and similar water hazards. Hence, the materials to be used in constructing these structures should have high retaining strength.
Over the years, different materials have been used in constructing these structures, namely wood, concrete, and steel. The concern with these materials are:
- Wood offers the strength needed, but it is not resistant to biological factors and rots over time.
- Steel offers high retaining strength but requires regular maintenance as it is prone to rust.
- Concrete looked like the perfect material, but the issue of regular maintenance to prevent cracks. Because when cracks occur, they expose the steel rods embedded in the concrete and these rods corrode.
In the early 80s, many discovered a new material; vinyl sheet piles. These materials are also called plastic or PVC sheet piles made from a unique plastic type comprising chlorine from common salt and ethylene from crude oil. These materials gained recognition in the mid-80s and have been considered one of the best materials for constructing seawalls and waterfronts. This article highlights why vinyl or PVC sheet piles are considered the best materials for seawalls and waterfronts.
Reasons Vinyl Sheet Piles are the Best Materials for Seawalls and Waterfronts
Of course, before you can conclude that an idea, material, or design is the most suitable, there must be evidence of facts that prove your claim. The evidence to support the claim that vinyl sheet piles are the best materials for Seawalls and Waterfronts are:
- High resistance: Resistance to tension is not the only quality needed by a material used in constructing Seawalls and Waterfronts. The material used should also offer some resistance to atmospheric pressure, ultraviolet rays, biological factors, and corrosion. The issue with other sheet piles is that their performance level decreases when subject to these elements. However, with vinyl sheet piles, their performance remains the same for extended periods; thus, most construction companies specializing in installing them offer a warranty for as much as 50years at most.
- Does not require regular maintenance: As mentioned earlier, other types or designs of sheet piles require maintenance at some point, whereas vinyl sheet piles do not require any maintenance. Their high resistivity guarantees that there will be no need for maintenance for a long time.
- Easy installation: The flexible nature of the material vinyl sheet piles makes them easy to install. They are not limited to one specific pattern or model when installing, unlike other sheet pile types.
- Cost-effective: One can argue that sheet piles like wooden are cheaper to acquire but require money for regular maintenance needs to be reserved. Concrete and steel sheet piles also require money for regular maintenance; in contrast, vinyl sheet piles are available at a low cost and require little to no more maintenance.
Conclusion
Other advantages of vinyl sheet piles over other sheet pile types are that it is more aesthetically improved. More details on why vinyl sheet piles are considered the best material for seawalls and waterfronts have been outlined above. If your business requires a retaining wall to be constructed, consult a professional vinyl sheet piling installation company.
