Steel sheet piles are long structural sections with a vertical interlocking system that creates a continuous wall. The walls are most often used to retain either soil or water. The ability of a sheet pile section to perform is dependent upon its geometry and the soils it is driven into. The pile transfers pressure from the high side of the wall to the soil in front of the wall.

There are permanent and temporary applications. Permanent sheet piles remain in the ground and serve as permanent retaining structures. Temporary sheet piles are designed to provide safe access for construction, and are then removed.