


Secant pile shoring is a structural support system used in construction to stabilize soil during deep excavations. It consists of vertical piles installed along an excavation’s perimeter to prevent soil movement, cave-ins, or water seepage. This method is essential when working near existing buildings, roads, or underground utilities, ensuring that excavation does not lead to structural failures or environmental hazards.
Content
Shoring systems
Shoring systems, including pile shoring, are crucial in projects such as:
- Deep foundations (basements, tunnels, and underground parking)
- Infrastructure projects (bridges, metro stations, and highways)
- Slope stabilization (preventing landslides in hilly terrains)
- Excavations near water bodies (preventing soil erosion and groundwater intrusion)
Types of Piles Used in Pile Shoring
The choice of pile type depends on factors like soil conditions, excavation depth, load-bearing requirements, and project budget. Below are the common types of piles used in shoring systems:
Steel Sheet Piles:
- Used for water retention and soil support in deep excavations.
- Typically interlocking steel sheets driven into the ground.
- Thickness: 8 – 16 mm, Width: 400 – 1200 mm
Soldier Piles (H-Piles):
- Made from steel H-sections driven or drilled into the ground.
- Often combined with lagging (wood, steel, or concrete panels) to support excavated soil.
- Diameter: 250 – 600 mm
Secant Piles:
- Overlapping reinforced concrete piles create a continuous wall.
- Used when water control and soil retention are crucial.
- Diameter: 600 – 1200 mm
Contiguous Piles:
- Closely spaced concrete piles with small gaps between them.
- Suitable for dry soil conditions with minimal groundwater presence.
- Diameter: 450 – 900 mm, Spacing: 50 – 150 mm
Bored Piles (Drilled Piles):
- Large-diameter piles created by drilling and filling with reinforced concrete.
- Used for deep excavations in urban areas where vibration must be minimized.
- Diameter: 600 – 2000 mm
Micro Piles:
- Small-diameter piles used in tight spaces or where load-bearing capacity needs enhancement.
- Typically 100 – 300 mm in diameter.
Pile Shoring Construction Process
- Site Investigation & Design: Engineers analyze soil conditions, groundwater levels, and structural loads to determine the best shoring method.
- Pile Installation:
- Steel or concrete piles are driven, drilled, or bored into the ground.
- If required, tie-backs or anchors are installed to reinforce stability.
- Excavation: Once shoring is in place, excavation begins in layers to maintain stability.
- Bracing & Support: Struts, walers, or additional reinforcements are added as needed.
- Waterproofing (if required): In cases with high groundwater levels, a waterproofing membrane or grout injection may be used to control water seepage.
- Final Construction: Once excavation is complete, permanent structural elements (e.g., basement walls) are built, and temporary shoring can be removed if necessary.
Processing of the pile shoring piles
Brextor® is an efficient, safe and high-quality method for pile cropping. With this method, not only single piles, but also all types of pile walls (tangent, secant or contiguous) are processed gently by machine. The work is done by one person and one machine. The weather conditions have no influence here.
Brextor® offers the following advantages:
Increased construction quality
Perfect pile cropping without cracks in the pile body or spalling on the pile outer skin, no bent or torn reinforcements and a height accuracy of +/- 1cm.
💵 Reduced construction costs
The demolition material consists of 80% gravel 0-30mm and can therefore be reused directly on the construction site. In addition, Brextor® requires less working space than conventional mining methods. This means that not only expenses for transportation and disposal incl. fees are saved, but the purchase and supply of replacement material is also eliminated. Furthermore, the preparatory work eliminates the need for a separating diamand cut at the final extraction level and the cleaning effort is massively lower than with conventional extraction methods.
⏱ Shortened processing time
For example, a pile with a diameter of 1 m and a height of 1 m can be processed within 40 minutes. A daily output of up to 16 piles is possible. In addition, Brextor® provides reliable performance and therefore increased planning security.
♻️ Environmentally friendly
With Brextor®, the demolition material (80% gravel 0-30mm) can be reused directly on the construction site. In addition, Brextor® requires less working space. This saves excavation and replacement material. Due to the direct reuse of the demolition material on the construction site and the saving of excavation and replacement material, transports can be saved. In addition, landfills are less burdened.
👷 Increased health & safety at work
No heavy physical work is required for pile cutting, which massively reduces the risk of health hazards such as HAVS syndrome. In addition, Brextor® avoids working in danger zones.
Find out more about Brextor® here:
Contact us for more information and find out how you can benefit from this revolutionary pile breaking method.
Call us on +41 41 495 05 20 or send an e-mail to info@brc.swiss. We look forward to working with you and taking your projects to the next level.