New Bulkhead at Pier C and Pier IX

Newport News, Virginia

This project included the design a bulkhead to replace the existing deteriorating wooden bulkhead. Our design staff obtained soils information and performed preliminary design, construction, and life cycle cost analysis to determine the most economical construction. It was determined that fifty-four and sixty-six inch diameter cylinder piles would perform best at this site location. The cylinder pile bulkhead had a poured-in-place concrete cap and the existing wooden bulkhead was to be undisturbed. Our design also entailed dredging to allow for future bulk dredging in front of the new bulkhead. Due to poor soils conditions, a tieback system was also incorporated into the bulkhead. Concurrent with Pier C design, we designed a new bulkhead similar to that of Pier C. Pier IX, however, had special requirements that needed to be addressed. Pier IX required a wooden fendering system attached to the new bulkhead, as well as moorings and cleats for one hundred (100) feet long tugboats. We used cylinder piles with a concrete cap, and also designed a vehicular access ramp from the new bulkhead to the existing loading dock area. The access pier was a cantilevered poured-in-place concrete pier resting on two (2) precast piles and pile cap. The access pier was designed per AASHTO for H20 traffic loading.