Jetties and Wharfs

Crow

• Publisher: CRC Press
• Year: 2021
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9781000393064
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Civil Engineering
• Index: Technology & Engineering

For centuries, jetties and wharfs have been designed and built around the world and play an important role in contemporary ports. The difference in the use of jetties, piers and wharfs is that jetties are frequently used for the transhipment and storage of light materials and ro-ro traffic, while piers are generally used for heavy loads like iron ore. That is why piers are mostly designed and constructed like quay walls (which are beyond the scope of this handbook).
The designs were originally based on trial and error and the insights of those who dared to conquer local conditions, such as wind, waves, currents and soil composition. Design and construction techniques have since evolved into the designs we see on the coast or in river ports and seaports nowadays.
The purpose of this handbook is to provide insight and guidelines regarding aspects that are important in the design of jetties and wharfs. Jetty-specific issues such as loads, interfaces between materials, installations on jetties and wharfs, as well as detailing aspects, are also covered. This handbook is part of a series of Dutch port infrastructure design recommendations that include the Quay Walls handbook andFlexible Dolphinshandbook.

1 Introduction

Jetties and wharfs have been designed and built for centuries all over the world. In the Netherlands, we call these types of structures steigers and overbouwde taluds. In the English speaking world, the terms jetties, piers and wharfs are often used. Jetties are mostly long, slender structures on piles along the shore or in ports used for coal, oil, gas and chemical transhipment or roll on, roll off (ro-ro) traffic.

The difference in the use of jetties, piers and wharfs is that jetties are frequently used for the transhipment and storage of light materials and ro-ro traffic, while piers are generally applied for heavy loads like iron ore. Therefore, piers are mostly designed and constructed like quay walls (which are beyond the scope of this handbook).

The designs were originally based on trial and error and the insights of people who dared to conquer local conditions, such as wind, waves, currents and the composition of the soil. The design and construction techniques have since evolved into the designs we now see on the coast or in river ports and seaports.

In chapter 2, the different jetty types and elements are discussed in detail, for example jetty layouts in relation to the type of cargo (e.g. liquid bulk, dry bulk), ro-ro, ferries, cruise vessels, fishery wharfs, floating and special jetties. Attention is also given to jetty elements such as the pile foundations, deck structure, connections, transitional structures and the various possible superstructures.

A very important chapter (Chapter 3) discusses the items to be considered in relation to the requirements for the design and construction of jetties. Subjects like operational requirements, accessibility and safety are indicated in full detail. Also the technical requirements are touched upon. This chapter closes with a discussion on vessel designs, berthing and mooring operations, and topside equipment.

The required site investigation and environmental investigations are discussed in chapter 4. The importance of a complete and quantitative site investigation is highlighted for several aspects like survey and monitoring plan, and topographical, hydrographical and hydraulic research. Further attention is necessary for such aspects as meteorology, morphology, geotechnics, seismology and the environment.

The loads and displacements aspects (Chapter 5) are indicated of, for example, loads of rolling and topside equipment, surface loads and environmental loads, berthing and mooring forces, construction loads and allowable displacements.

In chapter 6, the design aspects of jetties are discussed in detail; for example, aspects of loading conditions both for environmental and operational conditions and the mooring analysis. Also extensive attention is paid to the design philosophy, which is in line with the present Eurocodes.

The material aspects (Chapter 7) of concrete, steel, wood and glass fibre-reinforced plastics are addressed. Also some recommendations are discussed in the field of corrosion.

The construction, maintenance and repair aspects are presented and discussed in chapter 8.

The codes, standards, and safety and environmental aspects can be found in chapter 9. The procedures related to, for example, permits for land use and construction related to cables and linings are also discussed in this chapter. The lessons learned are discussed in chapter 10.

The handbook closes with an appendix about a risk-based reliability differentiation.

The present knowledge of designing and constructing jetties and wharfs in the Netherlands in river ports and seaports on weak soil is fully described and discussed in this Jetties and Wharfs Handbook. The handbook presents up-to-date recommendations for all parties involved in the field of the design of maritime infrastructures for river ports and seaports, thus creating a level playing field precluding unnecessary discussions during and delays to projects.

This handbook is part of a series of handbooks in the field of port engineering, for example Quay Walls (issued 2013), Dolphins (2018) and Oevers (Slopes, 2018).

Figure 1-1 Principle of jetty construction.

Figure 1-2 Principle of wharf construction.

2 Jetty types and elements

2.1 Introduction

Jetties form an important and integral part of port infrastructure and thereby enable a port's main functions, namely in- and export and transhipment of cargo. They also form the physical interface between land and water. Both the intended function and the physical interface determine the type, layout and typical elements of a jetty. For instance, the types of ships, nautical and spatial constraints, types of cargo, on-land facilities and connections have to be taken into consideration when developing jetties. This chapter describes jetty types, layouts and elements briefly:

• Types and geometrical layout
• Types according to use
• Jetty elements
  • Foundation types and materials
  • Deck types
  • Dewatering and spill facilities
  • Joints
  • Connections
  • Transitional structures
  • Stability elements
  • Mooring and fender elements

2.2 Jetty types and geometrical layout

A jetty is commonly built on an existing embankment/slope and typically consists of an entrance ramp or access bridge, a platform where the loading and unloading takes place and a part to which the ships are moored. The access bridge forms the connection between land and the mooring area where the water is deep enough to moor ships. This draught principle also governs the fact that in most cases the mooring part of the jetty closest to the shore is dedicated to inland vessels and coasters, which have relatively shallow draughts, and the part that is farthest from the shore is dedicated to large seagoing vessels, which have larger draughts. Apart from this draught principle, the geometrical form can vary depending on the types of ships to be moored and other spatial and nautical constraints that are location specific. Some examples are shown here:

Figure 2-1 T-shaped jetty with mooring space for both seagoing and inland ships (ETT Rotterdam NL), (Photo: Cas Donker).

Figure 2-2 L-shaped jetty with mooring space for both seagoing and inland ships (ETT Rotterdam NL).

Figure 2-3 I-shaped 'finger' jetties (Vopak Rotterdam NL), (Photo: Siebe Swart).

Figure 2-4 Modified L-shaped jetty (Koole, Rotterdam NL).

A spec...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Foreword
• Contents
• 1 Introduction
• 2 Jetty types and elements
• 3 Programme of requirements
• 4 Investigations
• 5 Loads and displacements
• 6 Design of jetties and wharfs
• 7 Materials
• 8 Construction, maintenance and repair
• 9 Legislation and sustainability
• 10 Lessons learned
• Appendix 1 Risk-based reliability differentiation