The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is eyeing the use of a sturdier type of sheet pile protection in the repair of the damaged section of the Arnedo Dike in Pampanga.
This, after an inspection team sent by the Pampanga District Engineering Office discovered that the length of the damaged portion had extended to 63 meters or approximately 39.9 percent of the dike’s total length.
DPWH Regional Office III Director Roseller Tolentino said that his office is proposing the shift to Z-type sheet piles from the U-type which were originally installed in the infrastructure back in 2016.
He explained that the Z-type sheet piles have an extra piece of steel protruding which helps increase its bending resistance compared to U-type sheet piles.
Initially, the DPWH in 2016 installed the U-type sheet piles in the slope/bank protection to serve as the main barrier against the impact of the flowing water along the Sto. Tomas-Sta. Rita Road in the San Luis section of the Arnedo Dike.
However, the residents complained that a portion of the slope/bank protection structure began collapsing at some point in 2019.
The steel sheet piles, along with the concrete pile cap, tilted towards the river, which caused a major depression on embankment materials and triggered the collapse of one lane of concrete adjacent to the pile cap.
Aside from the use of Z-type sheet pile, DPWH is also proposing an “updated analyzation of other factors that may affect the integrity of the infrastructure.’’
These include the checking of the soil condition and scouring effect to achieve the correct depth of penetration.
The DPWH noted that the Installation of deadman or an anchor in the infrastructure and thickening of the concrete road must also be made. (Chito A. Chavez)