Steel pipe piles and pipe pile structures

Abstract

A pipe pile, for use in a foundation or a retaining wall, comprises a substantially cylindrical, and preferably steel, pipe body extending longitudinally between two opposite ends, the pipe body being formed of a plurality of pipe sections, interlocked or welded together end-to-end and arranged on a common central longitudinal axis between the two ends. All of the pipe sections have substantially the same outside diameter; however, two or more pipe sections have differing inside diameters, and thus a differing wall thickness, between the two ends of the pipe pile.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A retaining wall adapted to be driven into the earth for use as a structural element, comprising:
 a first pipe pile;   a connecting element welded to a side of the first pipe pile; and   a second pipe pile connected to the first pipe pile by way of the connecting element,   the first pipe pile comprising:
 a cylindrical pipe body extending longitudinally between two opposite ends, the cylindrical pipe body being formed of a plurality of pipe sections arranged along a common central longitudinal axis between the two opposite ends, 
 wherein all of the pipe sections have substantially the same constant outside diameter along the central longitudinal axis of the pipe body between the two opposite ends, the outside diameter measured at an exterior surface of the pipe body, the exterior surface of the pipe body being directly exposed to at least one of water, air, or earth; and 
 a first pipe section of the plurality of pipe sections having a first constant inside diameter along the central longitudinal axis of the pipe body measured at an innermost portion of the first pipe section; 
 a second pipe section of the plurality of pipe sections, having a second constant inside diameter along the central longitudinal axis of the second pipe section measured at an innermost portion of the second pipe section, the second constant inside diameter being different from the first constant inside diameter; the innermost portions of the first and second pipe sections being directly exposed to at least one of water, air, or earth. 
   
     
     
         2 . The retaining wall of  claim 1 ,
 wherein an end of the first pipe section abuts an end of the second pipe section;   wherein the first pipe pile is made of a steel which corrodes when exposed to water and air.   
     
     
         3 . The retaining wall of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the second pipe pile is connected to the first pipe pile such that the central longitudinal axis of the first pipe pile and the central longitudinal axis of the second pipe pile are arranged substantially in parallel.   
     
     
         4 . The retaining wall of  claim 3 ,
 wherein the first pipe pile and the second pipe pile are disposed in a body of water, and   wherein the first pipe pile and the second pipe pile extend downward through the water into the earth below.   
     
     
         5 . The retaining wall of  claim 4 , wherein the retaining wall supports an ocean platform. 
     
     
         6 . The retaining wall of  claim 4 , wherein the body of water is an ocean and the water is sea water. 
     
     
         7 . The retaining wall of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the first pipe section of the first pipe pile is located in a splash zone of the retaining wall;   wherein the second pipe section of the first pipe pile is location in a permanent immersion zone; and   wherein a material thickness of the first pipe section is greater than a material thickness of the second pipe section.   
     
     
         8 . The retaining wall of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the first pipe section of the first pipe pile is location in a low water zone of the retaining wall;   wherein the second pipe section of the first pipe pile is located in a permanent immersion zone of the retaining wall;   wherein a material thickness of the first pipe section is greater than a material thickness of the second pipe section.   
     
     
         9 . The retaining wall of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the first pipe section of the first pipe pile is located in an intertidal zone of the retaining wall;   wherein the second pipe section of the first pipe pile is located in a permanent immersion zone;   wherein a material thickness of the first pipe section is greater than a material thickness of the second pipe section.   
     
     
         10 . The retaining wall of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the first pipe section of the first pipe pile is located in a permanent immersion zone of the retaining wall;   wherein the second pipe section of the first pipe pile is located in a buried zone of the retaining wall;   wherein a material thickness of the first pipe section is greater than a material thickness of the second pipe section.   
     
     
         11 . A retaining wall that separates earth from sea, comprising:
 a first pipe pile;   a connecting element; and   a second pipe pile connecting the first pipe pile by way of the connecting element,   the first pipe pile comprising:
 a substantially cylindrical pipe body extending longitudinally between two opposite ends, the cylindrical pipe body being formed of a plurality of pipe sections arranged along a common central longitudinal axis between the two opposite ends; 
 wherein the cylindrical pipe body is hollow, the cylindrical pipe body comprising an inner surface and an exterior surface; 
 wherein the plurality of pipe sections have the same constant outside diameter along the central longitudinal axis of the pipe body between the two opposite ends, the outside diameter measures at the exterior surface of the pipe body; 
 wherein a first pipe section of the first pipe pile has a first material thickness defined by a difference between the outside diameter and a first inside diameter,
 wherein the first inside diameter is measured at the inner surface of the first pipe section; 
 
 wherein a second pipe section of the first pipe pile has a second material thickness defined by a difference between the outside diameter and a second inside diameter,
 wherein the second inside diameter is measured at the inner surface of the second pipe section. 
 
   
     
     
         12 . The retaining wall of  claim 11 ,
 wherein the first material thickness and the second material thickness varies in accordance with an expected rate of corrosion,   wherein the first material thickness of the first pipe section is greater than the second material thickness of the second pipe section.   
     
     
         13 . The retaining wall of  claim 11 ,
 wherein the first material thickness and the second material thickness varies in accordance with an expected bending stress,   wherein the first material thickness of the first pipe section is greater than the second material thickness of the second pipe section.   
     
     
         14 . The retaining wall of  claim 11 , disposed along a coast of a body of water, with earth retained on one side of the wall against air and water on an opposite side. 
     
     
         15 . The retaining wall of  claim 14 , wherein the body of water is an ocean and the water is sea water. 
     
     
         16 . The retaining wall of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the first pipe section of the first pipe pile is located in a splash zone of the retaining wall;   wherein the second pipe section of the first pipe pile is located in a permanent immersion zone of the retaining wall;   wherein the first material thickness is greater than the second material thickness.   
     
     
         17 . The retaining wall of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the first pipe section of the first pipe pile is located in a low water zone of the retaining wall;   wherein the second pipe section of the first pipe pile is located in a permanent immersion zone of the retaining wall;   wherein the first material thickness is greater than the second material thickness.   
     
     
         18 . The retaining wall of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the first pipe section of the first pipe pile is located in an intertidal zone of the retaining wall;   wherein the second pipe section of the first pipe pile is located in a permanent immersion zone of the wall;   wherein the first material thickness is greater than the second material thickness.   
     
     
         19 . The retaining wall of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the first pipe section of the first pipe pile is located in a permanent immersion zone of the retaining wall,   wherein the second pipe section of the first pipe pile is located in a buried zone of the retaining wall;   wherein the first material thickness of the first pipe section is greater than the second material thickness.   
     
     
         20 . A retaining wall comprising:
 a plurality of pipe piles, each of the plurality of pipe piles comprising connecting elements welded to an exterior of the pipe pile,   wherein each pipe pile of the plurality of pipe piles comprises:
 a substantially cylindrical pipe body extending longitudinally between two opposite ends, the pipe body being formed of a plurality of pipe sections with differing pipe thicknesses, the pipe sections welded together end to end, arranged along a common central longitudinal axis between the two opposite ends, an outside diameter of the pipe body being substantially constant along the central longitudinal axis of the pipe body, the outside diameter being substantially constant between the two opposite ends, the outside diameter measured at an exterior surface of the pipe body; 
   wherein the retaining wall is configured to be driven into the earth with respective longitudinal axes of the plurality of pipe piles arranged substantially in parallel and along a common, substantially horizontal line, the plurality of pipe piles connected together by the connecting elements interlocked between adjacent pipe piles of the plurality of pipe piles,   wherein the exterior surface of the pipe body is exposed to at least one of water, air, or earth and an innermost portion of the pipe body is exposed to at least one of water, air, or earth.