Steel Sheet Pile Unit Weight and Section Modulus Table

You have completed the geotechnical analysis for a retaining wall. The maximum bending moment is on your screen. Now you need to select a sheet pile section that can handle that moment. The two numbers you need are unit weight¹ and section modulus².

Unit weight (kg/m) tells you how much each meter of pile weighs for shipping and handling. Section modulus (S in cm³/m) tells you how much bending moment the wall can resist. Together, they determine the cost and performance of your wall.

I use these tables every day. For the riverbank project, we needed S = 1,450 cm³/m. The table showed U 400 x 125-13 at 60 kg/m with S = 1,590. For a port project, we needed S = 2,600 cm³/m. AZ 26 at 109 kg/m with S = 2,600 was the perfect match.

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Steel Sheet pile specifications

Steel sheet pile specifications define the unit weight, section modulus, and other properties required for a project.

Steel sheet pile specifications include the pile type (U or Z), section designation, unit weight (kg/m), section modulus (S in cm³/m), steel grade, and length. The unit weight and section modulus are derived from the section dimensions and are critical for design and ordering.

Key Specification Elements

Let me explain the most important elements of a sheet pile specification.

1. Unit Weight (kg/m or lb/ft)¹
The weight per meter of pile length. This determines:

• Shipping cost (freight is charged by weight)
• Crane requirements (heavier piles need larger cranes)
• Handling difficulty

2. Section Modulus (S in cm³/m or in³/ft)²
The key structural property. It tells you how much bending moment the wall can resist.
Required S = Mmax / σallowable
Where σallowable is the allowable stress in the steel.

3. Steel Grade
Determines the allowable stress. Higher grades allow higher stress, so you can use lighter sections.

4. Moment of Inertia (I in cm⁴/m or in⁴/ft)
Determines wall stiffness and deflection. Higher I means stiffer wall.

My Experience
When I receive a specification, I check the unit weight first. It tells me the shipping cost. Then I check the section modulus to ensure it meets the design requirements. For the riverbank project, the engineer specified U 400 x 125-13. The unit weight was 60 kg/m, and S = 1,590 cm³/m.

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Sheet pile weight per meter

Unit weight per meter is the most important number for ordering, shipping, and handling. It tells you how much each meter of pile weighs.

Sheet pile unit weight ranges from 40 kg/m for light U type sections¹ to 211 kg/m for heavy Z type sections². U type ranges from 40 kg/m to 106 kg/m. Z type ranges from 58 kg/m to 211 kg/m. The unit weight determines the total tonnage³ of your project.

Complete Unit Weight Table

U Type Sheet Piles – Unit Weight per Meter

Section	Width (mm)	Height (mm)	Thickness (mm)	Unit Weight (kg/m)	Unit Weight (lb/ft)
U 400 x 100	400	100	8.0	40.0	26.9
U 400 x 100	400	100	10.5	48.0	32.3
U 400 x 100	400	100	12.0	54.0	36.3
U 400 x 125	400	125	10.0	50.0	33.6
U 400 x 125	400	125	13.0	60.0	40.3
U 400 x 125	400	125	15.0	68.0	45.7
U 400 x 170	400	170	11.0	55.0	37.0
U 400 x 170	400	170	13.5	65.0	43.7
U 400 x 170	400	170	15.5	76.1	51.1
U 400 x 170	400	170	18.0	86.0	57.8
U 600 x 130	600	130	8.0	50.0	33.6
U 600 x 130	600	130	10.3	61.8	41.5
U 600 x 130	600	130	12.0	70.0	47.0
U 600 x 180	600	180	10.0	65.0	43.7
U 600 x 180	600	180	12.0	75.0	50.4
U 600 x 180	600	180	13.4	81.6	54.8
U 600 x 180	600	180	15.0	90.0	60.5
U 600 x 210	600	210	13.0	85.0	57.1
U 600 x 210	600	210	15.0	95.0	63.8
U 600 x 210	600	210	18.0	106.2	71.4

Z Type Sheet Piles (AZ Series) – Unit Weight per Meter

Section	Width (mm)	Height (mm)	Thickness (mm)	Unit Weight (kg/m)	Unit Weight (lb/ft)
AZ 12	630	260	7.0	57.8	38.8
AZ 13	670	305	7.0	57.8	38.8
AZ 14	670	308	7.5	62.0	41.7
AZ 16	670	322	8.0	66.5	44.7
AZ 18	670	345	9.0	75.0	50.4
AZ 20	670	358	10.0	83.5	56.1
AZ 22	670	367	11.0	92.0	61.8
AZ 24	670	378	12.0	100.5	67.5
AZ 26	670	396	13.0	109.0	73.2
AZ 28	670	408	14.0	117.5	79.0
AZ 30	670	422	15.0	126.0	84.7
AZ 34	670	444	17.0	143.0	96.1
AZ 38	670	465	19.0	160.0	107.5
AZ 42	670	487	21.0	177.0	118.9
AZ 46	670	508	23.0	194.0	130.4
AZ 50	670	529	25.0	211.0	141.8

Z Type Sheet Piles (PZC Series) – Unit Weight per Meter

Section	Width (mm)	Height (mm)	Unit Weight (kg/m)	Unit Weight (lb/ft)
PZC 12	708	318	69.1	46.4
PZC 13	708	319	75.0	50.4
PZC 14	708	320	81.9	55.0
PZC 17	635	386	69.1	46.4
PZC 18	635	387	75.0	50.4
PZC 19	635	389	81.9	55.0
PZC 26	708	450	110.0	73.9
PZC 28	708	457	119.7	80.4
PZC 29	708	462	125.0	84.0

My Experience
For the riverbank project, the unit weight of 60 kg/m for U 400 x 125 meant each 15-meter pile weighed 900 kg. Total weight for 500 piles was 450 tons. That number determined the shipping method⁴ and crane requirements.

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Sheet pile section modulus

Section modulus¹ (S) is the most important structural property for sheet pile design. It tells you how much bending moment² the wall can resist.

Section modulus¹ is expressed in cm³ per meter of wall (cm³/m) or in³ per foot of wall (in³/ft). The required section modulus is calculated as Mmax divided by the allowable stress³. Higher section modulus means stronger wall.

Complete Section Modulus Table

U Type Sheet Piles⁵ – Section Modulus (S)

Section	Width (mm)	Height (mm)	Thickness (mm)	Unit Weight (kg/m)	S (cm³/m)	S (in³/ft)
U 400 x 100	400	100	8.0	40.0	900	5.2
U 400 x 100	400	100	10.5	48.0	1,080	6.2
U 400 x 100	400	100	12.0	54.0	1,220	7.0
U 400 x 125	400	125	10.0	50.0	1,330	7.7
U 400 x 125	400	125	13.0	60.0	1,590	9.2
U 400 x 125	400	125	15.0	68.0	1,800	10.4
U 400 x 170	400	170	11.0	55.0	1,790	10.3
U 400 x 170	400	170	13.5	65.0	2,120	12.2
U 400 x 170	400	170	15.5	76.1	2,470	14.2
U 400 x 170	400	170	18.0	86.0	2,800	16.1
U 600 x 130	600	130	8.0	50.0	1,910	11.0
U 600 x 130	600	130	10.3	61.8	2,350	13.5
U 600 x 130	600	130	12.0	70.0	2,680	15.4
U 600 x 180	600	180	10.0	65.0	3,040	17.5
U 600 x 180	600	180	12.0	75.0	3,510	20.2
U 600 x 180	600	180	13.4	81.6	3,820	22.0
U 600 x 180	600	180	15.0	90.0	4,210	24.2
U 600 x 210	600	210	13.0	85.0	4,580	26.3
U 600 x 210	600	210	15.0	95.0	5,120	29.4
U 600 x 210	600	210	18.0	106.2	5,730	32.9

Z Type Sheet Piles⁴ (AZ Series) – Section Modulus (S)

Section	Width (mm)	Height (mm)	Thickness (mm)	Unit Weight (kg/m)	S (cm³/m)	S (in³/ft)
AZ 12	630	260	7.0	57.8	1,200	6.9
AZ 13	670	305	7.0	57.8	1,300	7.5
AZ 14	670	308	7.5	62.0	1,400	8.0
AZ 16	670	322	8.0	66.5	1,600	9.2
AZ 18	670	345	9.0	75.0	1,800	10.4
AZ 20	670	358	10.0	83.5	2,000	11.5
AZ 22	670	367	11.0	92.0	2,200	12.7
AZ 24	670	378	12.0	100.5	2,400	13.8
AZ 26	670	396	13.0	109.0	2,600	15.0
AZ 28	670	408	14.0	117.5	2,800	16.1
AZ 30	670	422	15.0	126.0	3,000	17.3
AZ 34	670	444	17.0	143.0	3,400	19.6
AZ 38	670	465	19.0	160.0	3,800	21.9
AZ 42	670	487	21.0	177.0	4,200	24.2
AZ 46	670	508	23.0	194.0	4,600	26.5
AZ 50	670	529	25.0	211.0	5,000	28.8

Z Type Sheet Piles⁴ (PZC Series) – Section Modulus (S)

Section	Width (mm)	Height (mm)	Unit Weight (kg/m)	S (cm³/m)	S (in³/ft)
PZC 12	708	318	69.1	2,210	12.8
PZC 13	708	319	75.0	2,500	14.5
PZC 14	708	320	81.9	2,810	16.3
PZC 17	635	386	69.1	3,000	17.4
PZC 18	635	387	75.0	3,360	19.5
PZC 19	635	389	81.9	3,740	21.7
PZC 26	708	450	110.0	4,960	28.8
PZC 28	708	457	119.7	5,750	33.4
PZC 29	708	462	125.0	6,290	36.5

How to Use Section Modulus

Calculate Required Section Modulus
Srequired = Mmax / σallowable

Where:

• Mmax = maximum bending moment⁶t](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-FEVzI8oe8)[^2] (kN-m/m)
• σallowable = allowable stress³ in steel (MPa)

For ASTM A328⁷ (240 MPa yield) with safety factor⁸ 1.5:
σallowable = 240 / 1.5 = 160 MPa = 160,000 kN/m²

Example:
Mmax = 250 kN-m/m
Srequired = 250,000 / 160,000 = 1,560 cm³/m

Select a section with S ≥ 1,560 cm³/m.

My Experience
For the riverbank project, Mmax was 230 kN-m/m. Required S = 230,000 / 160,000 = 1,440 cm³/m. The U 400 x 125-13 with S = 1,590 cm³/m was more than adequate.

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Nucor product data Sheet

Nucor Skyline publishes comprehensive product data sheets that provide unit weight¹, section modulus², and other properties for their sheet pile sections.

Nucor product data sheets³ include the PZC series⁵ (ball-and-socket interlock), the PZ series (hook-and-grip interlock), and U-type sections. Each data sheet lists unit weight¹ (lb/ft and kg/m), section modulus² (in³/ft and cm³/m), moment of inertia, and dimensions.

Nucor PZC Series – Unit Weight and Section Modulus

Section	Width (in)	Weight (lb/ft)	Weight (kg/m)	S (in³/ft)	S (cm³/m)
PZC 12	27.88	46.4	69.1	12.8	2,210
PZC 13	27.88	50.4	75.0	14.5	2,500
PZC 14	27.88	55.0	81.9	16.3	2,810
PZC 17	25.00	46.4	69.1	17.4	3,000
PZC 18	25.00	50.4	75.0	19.5	3,360
PZC 19	25.00	55.0	81.9	21.7	3,740
PZC 26	27.88	73.9	110.0	28.8	4,960
PZC 28	27.88	80.4	119.7	33.4	5,750
PZC 29	27.88	84.0	125.0	36.5	6,290

Nucor PZ Series – Unit Weight and Section Modulus

Section	Width (in)	Weight (lb/ft)	Weight (kg/m)	S (in³/ft)	S (cm³/m)
PZ 22	16.00	22.0	32.7	5.6	965
PZ 27	16.00	27.0	40.2	8.1	1,396
PZ 35	16.00	35.0	52.1	12.1	2,085
PZ 40	16.00	40.0	59.5	15.0	2,585

Unit Weight vs Section Modulus Efficiency

U Type Efficiency
U 600 x 210-18: 106 kg/m gives S = 5,730 cm³/m → 54 cm³/m per kg

Z Type Efficiency
AZ 26: 109 kg/m gives S = 2,600 cm³/m → 24 cm³/m per kg
PZC 26: 110 kg/m gives S = 4,960 cm³/m → 45 cm³/m per kg

Observation
U 600 series are very efficient at high section moduli. PZC series⁵ are efficient at medium section moduli. AZ series maintain consistent efficiency across all sections.

My Experience
When I need to quote a Nucor product, I pull the product data sheet. The unit weight¹ and section modulus² tell me everything I need to know for shipping and design. For a North American marina project, we used PZC 13 at 75 kg/m with S = 2,500 cm³/m.

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Conclusion

Unit weight (kg/m) determines shipping cost and handling requirements. Section modulus (S in cm³/m) determines bending strength. Use the tables to select the right section for your project.