Compared to U-shaped steel sheet piles, Z-shaped ones (especially the AZ type) have a width and height profile that are much larger, thus reducing the number of sheet piles needed to fill a row, reducing overall costs for each project as well as making the construction process much more convenient. Additionally, Z shaped steel sheet pile (compared to U shaped steel sheet pile) can save at least 10%-20% of the amount of steel used to produce the same length for a sheet pile wall.
The lock plate flange on the Z-shaped steel sheet pile has several unique characteristics, primarily that there is rarely any relative displacement between adjacent sheet piles (due to shear force at the flange area being approximately zero) as well as zero interference towards the bending capacity as the single sheet piles ensure that bending occurs along the centreline of the wall even in situations where there is relative displacement of adjacent sheet piles (in situations where there is uniform force applied along the walls axis). Therefore, the bending modulus of Z-shaped steel sheet pile need not be reduced, and material strength can be fully exerted onto the wall.
Additionally, the Z-shaped steel sheet pile has two parallel flanges to control the alignment accuracy of the pile throughout construction. This can effectively control and limit the amount of deviation, perpendicular to the axial direction of the wall, during construction.