The construction of quay and dock walls has involved the use of steel sheet piles for a hundred years. They are both cost effective and reliable.
The construction of quay and dock walls has involved the use of steel sheet piles for a hundred years – they are both cost effective and reliable. One aspect that planning engineers and harbour authorities constantly have in mind of course is the durability of the walls. Unprotected steel corrodes in the water and the walls get thinner over time, a process ArcelorMittal, with its outstanding technical expertise, has managed to counteract. AMLoCor, ArcelorMittal’s new corrosion reducing steels, have greatly enhanced the business of planning new quay walls.
The principal advantage of AMLoCor is the marked reduction in corrosion rates in the low water and underwater zones. Field trials show that the wall thickness loss with AMLoCor is three to five times less than for standard steel sheet piling depending on the local conditions. Compared with unprotected steel sheet piling solutions made of standard steels, using AMLoCor also means a marked saving in steel weight. Furthermore, AmLoCor offers protection from microbially induced corrosion (MIC) where bacteria cause pitting in the low water zone. An analysis of the environmental impact has shown that the use of AMLoCor is a very environmentally friendly solution.
The mechanical properties of AMLoCor steels are absolutely identical to those of normal sheet piling types. The structural design resistances can therefore be found from the design standards (e.g. DIN EN 1993-5) valid for sheet piling structures.
