Fiber re-enforcement of joints and corners of composite sheet piling segments

Abstract

Composite sheet piling segments with supplemental fiber re-enforcement of the corners of the segment have been developed. The sheet piling segments include a series of panels that are connected at an angle and supplemental fibers that are added to reenforce that angle. The sheet piling segment may also include a connector that is used to join separate sheet piling segments together. Supplemental fibers may be added to reenforce the connector.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A segment of sheet piling, comprising: 
 a plurality of panels, where each panel is joined to at least one other panel at an angle; and    supplemental fibers that re-enforce the angle.    
     
     
         2 . The segment of sheet piling in  claim 1 , where the supplemental fibers are carbon fibers.  
     
     
         3 . The segment of sheet piling in  claim 1 , where the supplemental fibers are aramid fibers.  
     
     
         4 . The segment of sheet piling in  claim 1 , where the supplemental fibers are kevlar fibers.  
     
     
         5 . The segment of sheet piling in  claim 1 , where the supplemental fibers are basalt fibers.  
     
     
         6 . The segment of sheet piling in  claim 1 , where the supplemental fibers comprise between 1-70 percent of the volume of the segment of sheet piling.  
     
     
         7 . The segment of sheet piling in  claim 1 , where the supplemental fibers are a mixture of different fiber materials.  
     
     
         8 . The segment of  claim 7 , where the mixture of different fiber materials are selected from the group consisting of: carbon, aramid, kevlar, basalt, metal cords or glass.  
     
     
         9 . A segment of sheet piling, comprising: 
 a plurality of panels, where each panel is joined to at least one other panel at an angle; and    means for supplementally re-enforcing the angle with fibers.    
     
     
         10 . A segment of sheet piling, comprising: 
 a plurality of panels, where each panel is joined to at least one other panel;    a connector that is formed on the edge of a panel to connect the sheet piling segment to another sheet piling segment; and    supplemental fibers that re-enforce the connector.    
     
     
         11 . The segment of sheet piling in  claim 10 , where the supplemental fibers are carbon fibers.  
     
     
         12 . The segment of sheet piling in  claim 10 , where the supplemental fibers are aramid fibers.  
     
     
         13 . The segment of sheet piling in  claim 10 , where the supplemental fibers are kevlar fibers.  
     
     
         14 . The segment of sheet piling in  claim 10 , where the supplemental fibers are basalt fibers.  
     
     
         15 . The segment of sheet piling in  claim 10 , where the supplemental fibers comprise between 1-70 percent of the volume of the segment of sheet piling.  
     
     
         16 . The segment of sheet piling in  claim 10 , where the supplemental fibers are a mixture of different fiber materials.  
     
     
         17 . The segment of  claim 16 , where the mixture of different fiber materials are selected from the group consisting of: carbon, aramid, kevlar, basalt, metal cords, or glass.  
     
     
         18 . A segment of sheet piling, comprising: 
 a plurality of panels, where each panel is joined to at least one other panel;    a connector that is formed on the edge of a panel to connect the sheet piling segment to another sheet piling segment; and    means for supplementally re-enforcing the connector with fibers.    
     
     
         19 . A segment of sheet piling, comprising: 
 a plurality of panels, where each panel is joined to at least one other panel at an angle; and    metal cords that re-enforce the angle.    
     
     
         20 . The segment of sheet piling of  claim 19 , where the metal cords comprise a plurality of twisted wires.  
     
     
         21 . The segment of sheet piling of  claim 19 , where the metal cords are woven into a mat.  
     
     
         22 . A segment of sheet piling, comprising: 
 a plurality of panels, where each panel is joined to at least one other panel at an angle; and    means for supplementally re-enforcing the angle with metal cords.    
     
     
         23 . A segment of sheet piling, comprising: 
 a plurality of panels, where each panel is joined to at least one other panel;    a connector that is formed on the edge of a panel to connect the sheet piling segment to another sheet piling segment; and    metal cords that re-enforce the connector.    
     
     
         24 . The segment of sheet piling of  claim 23 , where the metal cords comprise a plurality of twisted wires.  
     
     
         25 . The segment of sheet piling of  claim 23 , where the metal cords are woven into a mat.  
     
     
         26 . A segment of sheet piling, comprising: 
 a plurality of panels, where each panel is joined to at least one other panel;    a connector that is formed on the edge of a panel to connect the sheet piling segment to another sheet piling segment; and    means for supplementally re-enforcing the connector with metal cords.