Berliner wall

The Berliner wall is a temporary or permanent earth retention system with two basic components. One component, carrying the full earth pressure load and moment resistance, is the vertical so-called soldier pile. The piles support the lagging wall or horizontal sheeting that spans the distance between the vertical elements. Lagging is most commonly wood, but may also consist of steel sections or precast concrete. Berliner walls refer to the use of steel beams (H section profiles) and timber lagging.

Construction sequence

1. Positioning and driving or vibrating of steel H beams at regular spacing. A vibration less method such as drilling may be applied to insert the H-beams (s métalliques)

2. At the first phase of the earth moving works, as excavation proceeds, installation of lagging consisting of wooden planks, precast concrete slabs or steel H sections.

3. Eventual anchoring of the wall (depending on the project and application)

4. Final phase of the earthwork, placement of the horizontal sheeting terminated – finished embedded retaining wall

Fields of application

• Very economical retaining wall (shoring) system in excavations

• Earth retaining wall, absence of groundwater over the retained height in the excavation area.

• Not water retaining (the wall is permeable)

• Excavations of limited area / confined spaces

Environmental impact

• Vibration and noise pollution

• A stable, dry and flat work platform is needed

• Not recommendable next to vibration-sensitive constructions (impact of vibrations) (cf. CSTC installation guidelines type 1 and type 2)

• Flexible system – if necessary, placement of anchors or additional shoring (strutting) to limit large displacements.

Technical specifications

• Shoring system used only as an earth retaining structure

• Applicable only if the groundwater level is lower than the maximum excavation level

• Temporary cohesion of the soil is needed in order to carry out the excavation and place the horizontal sheeting.

• Soil removal: depending on the construction process

• If necessary, placement of complementary anchors

• Depth: 12 to 15 m

• Retained height between 3 and 6 m

• Wall thickness / width: 0.20 to 0.40 m