sheet-piled quay
Quick Summary
A sheet-piled quay is a type of dock or wharf construction that uses interlocking steel sections, known as sheet piles, to create a continuous, impervious wall. This wall supports the land behind it, allowing ships to berth alongside in deep enough water for cargo transfer.1
Construction
Steel sheet piles are driven into the ground, interlocking with each other to form a strong membrane. The design of these piles has evolved, with heavier and stiffer sections becoming available. To manage the forces acting on the quay wall, the sheet piling is often anchored back to buried anchors. A reinforced-concrete cope beam is typically cast on top to cover and secure the exposed heads of the sheet piles.1
In deeper water, a "Dutch quay" design may be used. This involves driving sheet piling and then excavating the ground behind it to construct a reinforced-concrete relieving platform supported by independent piles. This reduces the load on the sheet piling and provides additional resistance to ship impacts.2
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
