Patent ID: 8235630
Filing Date: 2012-08-07
Classification: E02D

Abstract:
1. A method for driving a number of sheet pile planks into the ground, which sheet pile planks each have a nominal cross section and interlocking jaw slots on their longitudinal sides, comprising the steps of: providing a previous sheet pile plank having at least one discontinuity which forms a deviation from the nominal cross section of the sheet pile plank and which impedes and/or prevents the displacement of a next sheet pile plank relative to the previous sheet pile plank, driving this previous sheet pile plank into the ground, causing the jaw slots of the previous sheet pile plank driven into the ground and a next sheet pile plank to interlock, driving the next sheet pile plank into the ground while maintaining the interlocking of said jaw slots, interacting the next sheet pile plank with the discontinuity of the previous sheet pile plank in order to generate a mechanical event in at least one of these sheet pile planks which can be detected at the top end of this sheet pile plank, and detecting the mechanical event in at least one of these sheet pile planks at the top end thereof, wherein said mechanical event is chosen from the group consisting of: an occurrence of a stop or retardation in a downward movement of the next sheet pile plank while driving in the next sheet pile plank, an occurrence of a downward movement of the previous sheet pile plank while driving in the next sheet pile plank, and an occurrence of both the top or retardation in the downward movement of the next sheet pile plank while driving in the next sheet pile plank and the downward movement of the previous sheet pile plank while driving in the next sheet pile plank.