Ports / Port Authorities
Recent growth is global trade has resulted in renewed interest in construction of new ports and expansion of existing ports. At the same time the introduction of new super cargo ships requires modification of berthing facilities in ports to accommodate such huge ships. The growth of ports often leads to larger and heavier loads being handled that require strengthening of the pier deck and the submerged piles that support the deck.
At the same time, many of the major ports were constructed decades ago and their design service life is reaching its end. The combination of ocean spray and dry/wet cycle caused by tides or waves result in rapid corrosion of steel reinforcement in concrete structures. Similarly steel piles and seawalls or sheet piles in ports corrode and require repair and strengthening. Repair with conventional materials and techniques such as concrete are time-consuming, require divers and become expensive. These repairs also are not a long-term solution as the new concrete or steel structure will soon begin to corrode away --- jut like the original structure!
QuakeWrap® engineered Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) solutions offer fast, long-lasting and economical repair alternatives to owners, architect/engineers and contractors involved with repair and maintenance of ports to ensure the project is completed on time, within budget and with minimum disruption of service. We offer several patented systems developed by Prof. Mo Ehsani such as PileMedic® for repair and strengthening of piles and SPiRe® for repair of seawalls and sheet piles. PileMedic® is the only product that can strengthen deteriorated piles! In addition to providing strength, PileMedic® and SPiRe® provide an impervious barrier that keeps water and oxygen away from the structure. It is a recognized fact that oxygen is the fuel to the corrosion process and by eliminating the inflow of oxygen, the corrosion rate reached near zero levels.
Some of the repair and strengthening projects in the marine and waterfront structures that can benefit from QuakeWrap® engineered FRP solutions are:
- Fast and economical repair of concrete floors and beams in decks and piers that are damaged by corrosion
- Strengthening of concrete or timber floors and beams in decks and piers to carry heavier loads
- Strengthening of corrosion-damaged concrete, steel or timber piles with PileMedic® to resist higher loads
- Seismic strengthening of concrete, steel and timber structures and submerged piles for enhanced resiliency in case a major earthquake occurs
- Repair of corroded seawalls and steel sheet piles with SPiRe®
- Force protection and blast retrofit of port offices against terrorist attacks
In most cases, QuakeWrap engineers can provide a complete “turnkey” design-build solution that includes sealed engineering drawings by our in-house engineers, all of the materials needed, and installation by one of our approved and certified installers. This unique turnkey design-build approach results in significant efficiency, time and cost-savings, and minimizes the potential errors and delays that can result when multiple groups are involved in one project. Our patented technologies that reduce the need for divers result in further cost savings in repair of port facilities.
QuakeWrap® also welcomes the opportunity to partner with owners, architects, engineers and contractors by providing any single aspect of the project, i.e., design, materials, or installation for a specific project.