Mar 5 2007
A new vinyl sheet pile section is now being manufactured to serve the marine and civil industries. ShoreGuard 625 will offer increased performance in cutoff, flood control, bulkhead and seawall applications.
Vinyl sheet piling has been gaining popularity in the construction market for decades. The advantages range from low cost, resistance to marine borers and its recognition by several government groups as environmentally friendly. The synthetic material has long attracted engineers and contractors who use it for bulkheads and seawalls. The only limitation to the use of vinyl was the size of the product that was able to be extruded. Now with more development and innovation in the market, one company has created the biggest vinyl box profile in the world allowing for even bigger benefits for contractors and engineers.
Many forward thinking civil engineers have recognized the advantages of vinyl sheet pile for cutoff walls, flood control, and flood plane management structures -- the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers being one of the earliest proponents. Still, most engineers have relied on the older methods and materials such as slurry walls and steel sheet pile. CMI Waterfront Solutions is confident that the introduction of ShoreGuard 625 will quickly capture the market for these applications. Cutoff walls are serious business -- hazardous materials must be contained to prevent seepage into ground water. Flood control structures are no less important- life and property must be protected from violent storm events. While no product can guarantee to hold up against a storm, advanced materials may give areas a better chance of survival.
Some of the characteristics that engineers look for when choosing a solution to these problems are proven performance, low cost, ease of installation, long life and low permeability. Our products are used in civil applications because of their inherent corrosion and chemical resistance. ShoreGuard 625 is a 30" wide section with numerous patented design innovations that reduce seepage through the interlocks, allowing minimal use of sealants. ShoreGuard can be installed anywhere that steel sheet piling can, with the proper equipment. The light weight and low cost of vinyl sheet piling has made it a viable solution for projects around the globe.
"Any engineer designing a cutoff wall would choose sheet pile every time if price were not a factor," says Mike Yeats, Chief Engineer -- CMI Waterfront Solutions. ShoreGuard provides civil engineers with the most effective method of containment at an installed cost equal or less than that of conventional materials.