The waling performs several functions. On the one hand, it serves to align the steel sheet pile wall, on the other hand, it serves to transfer the loads and to fix the anchoring. The steel tie rods are attached to the waling via plates and nuts. To provide additional safety, the threads of the anchors should be upset providing more stress area at the threads than at the shaft of the steel tie rod. Thus upset threads absorb higher forces than the shaft of the steel tie rod system. To accommodate settlement of the ground steel tie rod connections should also be made in such a way that the threads are not subjected to bending. This is achieved by the use of articulated connections, eg pinned joints or spherical nuts and seating plates. By allowing the steel tie rod to rotate  overloading due to bending can be prevented.
Steel tie rods are safety critical items to the performance of an anchored sheet pile structure. By correct design of tie rods the future performance and service of the structure can be ensured for its design lifetime.