In infrastructure projects, traditional steel sheet piles once dominated the market for shoring materials. However, in harsh environments such as coastal areas, industrial wastewater sites, and saline-alkali soils, their drawbacks—including susceptibility to rust, high maintenance costs, and short service life—have become increasingly apparent. As a new type of support material, polymer-composite plastic sheet piles are competing head-to-head with traditional steel sheet piles. Thanks to their core advantages—including acid and alkali resistance, impact resistance, and long-term durability—they are gradually replacing traditional steel sheet piles and becoming the material of choice for harsh environments

In terms of resistance to acid and alkali corrosion, the shortcomings of traditional steel sheet piles are quite evident. Even after anti-corrosion treatment, they still gradually rust and corrode in corrosive environments such as seawater, industrial wastewater, and saline-alkali soils. Their service life is typically only 20–30 years, and they require regular anti-corrosion maintenance, resulting in high maintenance costs. In contrast, polymer-composite plastic steel sheet piles utilize a corrosion-resistant formulation with stable chemical properties. They can withstand acidic and alkaline media with pH values ranging from 3 to 12 over the long term without requiring any anti-corrosion coatings. In harsh corrosive environments, they do not rust, rot, or crack, and their service life can exceed 50 years. This fundamentally resolves corrosion issues and significantly reduces maintenance costs

In terms of impact resistance, while traditional steel sheet piles have high strength, they lack sufficient toughness. They are prone to breaking or deforming during driving and struggle to withstand impacts such as flood scouring or external collisions during use. Particularly in harsh environments, they are susceptible to damage and collapse. Through formulation optimization and structural innovation, polymer-composite plastic-steel sheet piles combine both strength and toughness. With a tensile strength of 43–48 MPa and a flexural strength of ≥65 MPa, their impact toughness far exceeds that of traditional steel sheet piles. They are resistant to damage during driving and can easily withstand various impacts during use, maintaining structural stability even under extreme weather conditions

In terms of construction and environmental performance, traditional steel sheet piles are heavy, requiring large lifting equipment for transportation and installation, resulting in long construction cycles and high costs. Furthermore, they are difficult to recycle after disposal, often leading to environmental pollution. Polymer-composite plastic-steel sheet piles weigh only 1/5 to 1/8 of traditional steel sheet piles, making them easy to transport and efficient to install without the need for large equipment. This significantly shortens construction cycles and reduces costs. Additionally, they contain no lead or plasticizers and are 100% recyclable, aligning with green environmental principles and meeting national requirements for green infrastructure development

Furthermore, in terms of structural stability, polymer-composite plastic-steel sheet piles utilize a scientifically optimized cross-sectional design and interlocking structure to effectively enhance overall load-bearing capacity. Combined with tight joint connections, they form a robust retaining system capable of withstanding lateral soil pressure and water flow impact, further highlighting their application advantages in harsh environments and outperforming traditional steel sheet piles