Urban Canal’s Environmental Remediation with Pressed-in Sheet Pile Bulkheads-Paper

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The Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn, New York, is undergoing an EPA-supervised cleanup of decades of industrial and sewage contamination. The work includes dredging contaminated sediment, installing a multilayer cap, and rebuilding deteriorated waterfront bulkheads.<br /><br />Pressed-in sheet piles were selected for several bulkhead sections because the method uses hydraulic force rather than impact or vibration. The piling machine grips previously installed piles and advances along the wall, producing low noise and vibration while allowing accurate installation in confined areas near buildings and utilities.<br /><br />A 2017 pilot study compared press-in piling with vibratory and impact methods. It found that press-in installation caused substantially less noise, vibration, and settlement, meeting most project requirements. This led to its use, in whole or in part, on four subsequent sections.<br /><br />At the former Fulton Municipal Works manufactured-gas-plant site, crews installed coated, Z-shaped steel piles up to 70 feet long in challenging ground: contaminated soft sediment over hard sand and gravel, with debris accumulated over many decades. Debris was removed before installation; much of the hard soil was predrilled and replaced with clean sand. Sensors attached to the pile interlocks verified that the joints remained engaged, helping confirm the wall’s integrity.<br /><br />The project demonstrated that pressed-in sheet piles can reconstruct bulkheads with limited risk of settlement or damage to nearby structures. The approach may also help cities retrofit aging waterfront infrastructure while reducing impacts on surrounding buildings and utilities.

Keywords

Gowanus Canal

Brooklyn

EPA cleanup

pressed-in sheet piles

bulkhead reconstruction

contaminated sediment

dredging

low vibration installation

waterfront infrastructure

sheet pile wall