Medium-heavy steel sheet piles (such as SZ-250 and SZ-313) are very popular in North America and the United States. The total width of a two-point suspended scaffolding platform must not be less than 20 inches nor more than 36 inches. For structures along rivers and canals, the design should consider a hydrostatic pressure differential equivalent to at least 3 feet of water. Walls backfilled with free-draining material generally perform better. If necessary, the lower layers of soil reinforcement should also be sloped downward to ensure a gap of at least 3 inches between layers of soil reinforcement.

Shoreline Steel also produces SZ-340, SZ-350, and SZ-375. The platform should be securely fastened to the hanger using U-bolts or other equivalent means. Partial saturation of the active pressure zone typically increases the load on walls with clay backfill, as shown in the upper left corner.

A 10-degree inclination increases the load by 20%. For walls supporting a roadway at the top of the wall, the top soil reinforcement layer should slope downward from horizontal with a negative slope of at least -5% and a maximum of -15%. Two-point suspended scaffolding should have a hanger capable of supporting four times the rated load (SZ-340) and should be designed with support for guardrails, intermediate railings, and toeboards. Inclined cantilever walls in Grand Rapids, Michigan, should be suspended from two-point suspended scaffolding using wire rope, synthetic fiber rope, or fiber rope capable of supporting at least six times the rated load (SZ-350). All other components should be capable of supporting at least four times the rated load. Walls subject to tidal or river surges may require design for rapid descent conditions, which could result in a hydrostatic pressure differential much greater than SZ-375 feet, or the use of a fast-draining backfill material (such as crushed stone or open-graded coarse gravel).

Specifications