Soldier piles are steel wide flange or pipe piles installed vertically into the existing ground to provide either temporary or permanent shoring for a vertical excavation. Depending on soil conditions and vibration requirements, they can either be driven into place or installed in a drilled shaft and backfilled with concrete. Depending on the height of the wall ground anchors can be used to further restrain the piles. Soldier pile walls also have the advantage of allowing a permanent wall structure to be constructed without separate temporary shoring or excavation behind the wall face. The soil between the piles is typically restrained with either wood lagging or shotcrete, allowing for a variety of wall finishes.

Ground anchors are small diameter drilled elements of steel strands or bar that are grouted in place and tensioned to provide a preloaded condition in the ground. Applications include earth retention, slope stabilization and resistance to seismic, hydrostatic or over turning forces. Use of ground anchors can reduce the cost of conventional mass concrete and steel structural systems.