Groynes

Groynes protect the beaches from erosion due to the wave actions. Although they are rarely built with steel sheet piles, European countries such as France and Germany have used them in the past. The latest major project was in Cayeux-sur-Mer in France (2015).

These structures can achieve a service life of 35 to 50 years even in very harsh environments. The loss of steel thickness on the shoreline is predominantly due to water erosion (waves) and sand / gravel abrasion.

Despite the fact that they are quite rare, groynes in rivers to protect the riverbank from erosion can also be built with steel sheet piles. A recent project in La Pastora in Peru (2015) used thousands of tonnes of the HZ-M/AZ system for this uncommon application.

Steel sheet piles are an excellent solution for regeneration programmes of old wharfs along rivers and canals, or in inland ports, as well as for rehabilitation of land along rivers and canals. Rochester Riverside is a quite recent project in the UK that illustrates this type of application.