Abstract: A method for producing a steel beam blank includes continuously casting a steel beam blank strand and cooling the steel beam blank strand in a secondary cooling zone. The steel beam blank strand is guided in a vertical casting plane along a curved path having its web perpendicular to the vertical casting plane, so that each of the lateral flanges has an intrados flange tip and an extrados flange tip. The method further includes straightening the steel beam blank strand behind the secondary cooling zone. When being straightened, the intrados flange tips are selectively reheated between the secondary cooling and the straightening of the steel beam blank strand via an external energy supply focused on the intrados flange tips. In this manner, transverse cracks in the intrados flange tips may be reliably avoided.

Abstract: A U-shaped sheet pile comprising a flat flange (10), two flat webs (12) connected to the flange (10) so as to be symmetrical with respect to a plane (8) perpendicular to the flange (10), and an interlocking element located at the end of each of the two webs (12). The sheet pile has a depth/useful width ratio greater than or equal to 0.18. The concave corners (18) defined by the two flange/web connections are significantly flattened by an extra thickness (26) of material so as to obtain a reduction in the resistance of the sheet pile to pile-driving. The extra thickness (26) is sufficient for a fictitious cylindrical surface (38), which has a radius at least equal to 75 mm and which is tangential to the planes extending the inner faces of the flange and the web (32, 34), to be completely located inside the said extra thickness (26) between its two tangential generators.

Abstract: A method of sealing sheet pile joints using a paraffinic product to seal the gripping elements of the sheet piles. The paraffinic products usable for sealing the gripping elements of sheet piles have a drop point lying between 100 and 140° C. and a cone penetration of between 20 and 50 mm/10. In a preferred embodiment, the paraffinic product contains at least 50% paraffin waxes, and may also incorporate mineral oils, bonding agents, antioxidants and/or other normal additives. According to another embodiment, the paraffinic products usable for sealing the gripping elements of sheet piles have a resistance to hydrostatic pressure of at least 0.12 bar/mm, preferably at least 0.22 bar/mm.

Abstract: A hot-rolled Z-shaped sheet pile comprises two flanges (12', 12") and a web (10) delimited by two substantially plane faces (18', 18"). This web (10) makes an acute angle 75o with a plane (16) parallel to the outer faces (14', 14") of the flanges (12', 12"). In order to increase the section modulus of this sheet pile without having to increase the thickness of the flanges (12', 12") or the rolling width, each of the two flanges (12', 12") has an extension (22', 22") protruding with respect to the fictitious plane (24', 24") extending the plane face (18', 18") of the web located on the same side as the outer face (14', 14") of the respective flange. In this way, it is possible to roll sheet piles having a section modulus per unit length of the wall 4800 cm3/cm and a specific section modulus of approximately 20 (cm3/m)/(kg/m2).

Abstract: A method for connecting a standard sheet pile equipped with a standard locking element to the flange of a standard girder (31). First the initially flat edge (39) of the flange of the girder (31) is given an undulating profile having of a longitudinal series of bosses (40,42) cantilevered with respect to the flange of the girder (31). Next a connecting profile (30) including an inwardly flaring groove (36) is slotted onto the undulated edge so that the cantilevered bosses (40,42) can fit into said groove (36) and laterally lock the connecting section (30) on the undulated edge. The connecting section (30) being used is a hybrid profile which includes on the opposite side to the groove (36) a standard locking element (34) complementary to the standard locking element of the sheet pile. Into this locking element (34) is interlocked the standard locking element of the sheet pile to form a standard sheet pile joint therebetween.

Abstract: A method is presented for hot rolling a Z-section sheet pile from a semi-finished H-beam. The semi-finished H-beam is oriented in such a way that its web is substantially parallel to a rolling plane. A preform of the sheet pile is first rolled in a first plurality of rolling passes to form a preform having two flange/web transition sections substantially parallel to the rolling plane. These two flange/web transition sections connect rough-rolled portions for the sheet pile flanges to a middle section which is oblique to the rolling plane. A final Z-section sheet pile is formed from the preform in a second plurality of rolling passes.

Abstract: A process is presented for effecting sealed sheet pile constructions in which at least one of the sheet pile interlocks of a pair of sheet pile interlocks is filled with a sealing compound by moving a feeding chamber in an axial and concentric manner along the interlock. In addition, a device for carrying out the aforementioned process is presented comprising a central feeding chamber provided with a dorsal entrance bore, a longitudinal sliding guide block and a sealing compound distributing chuck. The section of the sliding guide block is identical to, but slightly narrower than that of the sheet pile interlock chamber.