L.B. Foster to Deliver Gerdau Ameristeel Sheet Piling for New Orleans Flood Walls
07/20/2009 - L.B. Foster will provide steel sheet piling manufactured by Gerdau Ameristeel to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for construction of T-wall type flood walls in the New Orleans area.
L.B. Foster Co., Pittsburgh, has received a $23.1-million contract to provide steel sheet piling to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for the construction of T-wall type flood walls in the New Orleans area.
The PZC(TM) piling for the project — to be manufactured in lengths of 20 to 75 feet by Gerdau Ameristeel at its Petersburg, Va., facility — will be stored for convenient availability at L.B. Foster's New Orleans storage facility.
"Our local distribution facility will allow quick contractor access to the material required for T-wall installation in the USACE New Orleans District," said Ernie Koehler, L.B. Foster Construction Products Sales Manager.
T-wall construction is designed for use in flood wall structures that must withstand the surge elevation of a 100-year type hurricane. In New Orleans, the PZC-13 sheet piling will form an efficient below-ground wall to prevent or minimize lateral water migration from undermining the T-wall. A protective coating of 16 mils of coal tar epoxy will be applied to the top 15 feet of each PZC steel sheet to assure long term corrosion resistance.
"Our domestically produced PZC sheet piling is manufactured to be wider, lighter and stronger than traditional Z piling," noted David Maedgen, Gerdau Ameristeel Piling Sales Manager. “The Army Corps has deemed this product to be an efficient solution for this type of critical application.”
L.B. Foster/Gerdau Ameristeel sheet piling will form a protective barrier within T-wall structures in the Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, St. Charles and Plaquemine parishes.
The USACE determined it would be beneficial to source material while mill capacity is readily available. "Gerdau Ameristeel and L.B. Foster worked closely as a strategic team to manage manufacturing costs and rolling capacity to win this important material supply contract," said Gary Wheeler, L.B. Foster Piling General Manager.
Material shipments for the Corps of Engineers T-wall projects are scheduled to be completed by June 2011.
L.B. Foster Piling has been a leading supplier of flat and Z sheet pile, as well as pipe pile and H beams to the construction industry for over 75 years. The company offers a wide range of piling accessories, sheet, pipe and H piling for sale or rent throughout North America from convenient regional stocking locations.
Gerdau Ameristeel is the largest producer of steel sheet piling in North America. Through an integrated network of minimills, steel scrap recycling facilities and downstream operations, Gerdau Ameristeel provides service and products to customers around the world. PZC(TM) is a trademark of Gerdau Ameristeel.
