Secant Pile Walls

Secant pile walls are an innovative way to build retaining walls. They are formed by a series of interlocking drilled shafts used primarily where there is a high water tables or unsuitable ground conditions. Because of the lack of noise and vibration, these walls are attractive near buildings, roads, and other sensitive structures. Secant walls can be used to form a continuous watertight wall, an added benefit on environmental projects.

Secant walls have been used for:

• Intake structures
• Below grade holding tanks
• Cut and cover tunnels
• Basement construction

Secant pile walls are constructed so the piles overlap each other. The common practice is to alternate the placement of the piles along the wall alignment, leaving a space of a little less than the diameter of the intermediate pile. The exact spacing is based on construction tolerances. The intermediate piles are usually formed using a heavy temporary casing that cuts through the concrete piles on either side.

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