Complicated tube piles

During the construction of the New Lock in Terneuzen, Herstaco has fully asserted its added value. One of Europe's largest stockholding suppliers of steel pipes, Herstaco can also process and assemble the pipes on demand at its own site in Middelburg. Contractor combination Sassevaart has made grateful use of this.

"We have delivered 61 tubular piles in phases in a diameter of 1420 mm and varying lengths ranging from 37 to 43 meters," begins Bas Verschoore, Sales Manager at Herstaco. "A steel pipe has an average trade length of 11-12 meters, which means we welded together different trade lengths (also in varying wall thicknesses) to achieve the targeted lengths and pressure resistances. We looked for optimizations within the tolerances as much as possible. On the one hand to create as little waste as possible and on the other hand to keep the total weight as low as possible for the application. After all, there is billing by the ton."

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Because of the rather innovative way of installing the tubular piles, Herstaco also welded covers into the tubular piles in addition to laying round seams and installing sheet pile locks. Verschoore: "The tubular piles were filled with water, so they slowly sank down due to their own weight in the bentonite mixture. So we first welded the covers into the trade lengths before we could lay the round seams. A nice puzzle, especially with a combination of different wall thicknesses in one tubular pole. The latter also meant that we had to rejoint some pile sections in order to lay the weld. All the steel we delivered is of course certified and fully traceable. All in all, for us an assignment of the outer category, given the many operations, but one that went very smoothly. It tastes like more," Verschoore concludes.