When we hear of the term construction, we often picture buildings on land. However, marine construction is just as essential for various industries that rely on the water.
However maritime environment is marred with risk due to varying weather conditions. As such, there is a need for the construction of stable and sturdy structures. Luckily, technological and engineering techniques advancements have made marine construction less complex.
Understanding Marine Construction
Marine construction refers to any structure built in or around water bodies. These structures are designed to withstand the marine environment’s unique challenges, including constant exposure to saltwater and harsh weather conditions.
Types of Marine Construction
There are many types of marine construction, and they can be into three:
- Berthing facilities
- Dry docking facilities
- Coastal protection structures
Let’s explore each category in detail to understand their usage and importance.
- Berthing Facilities
Berthing facilities are designed to dock or moor vessels at a port or harbor. They provide a safe place for boats and ships to load/unload cargo or passengers. The most common berthing facilities include:
- Piers
A pier is a raised platform supported by pillars extending into the water body. It is an access point for ships loading/unloading goods onto land and can also be used for recreational activities like fishing or sightseeing.
Open piers are one such type of pier. They are pile-supported and allow water to flow underneath.
Closed piers are a type that is supported by solid-fill piers, meaning they do not allow water to flow underneath, as a bulkhead along the perimeter surrounds them to hold back the fill.
Most closed pier construction uses mole piers, earthen structures extending outwards from the shore. The ends of the pier are protected using sheet piles or circular cells. A closed pier can also berth ships if it is deep enough.
Floating piers are constructed using concrete or steel and connected to the shore using access ramps. They are anchored using a chain system to prevent lateral movement while permitting up-and-down movement following the waves.
- Wharves
Wharves are similar to piers but have added storage capabilities; along their length, they have sheds where goods can be temporarily stored while awaiting ship transportation.
They are usually built almost parallel to the land and are not connected to the shore. The platform is supported from behind using bulkhead or quay walls. And unlike a pier, you can use the wharf to support one side of the ship.
- Dry Docking Facilities
These specialized constructions allow ships/boats/vessels to be temporarily removed from the water so that maintenance work can be carried out without being affected by tides/currents. Dry docking facilities include docks, marine railways, and boat lifts.
- Docks and Harbors
A dock is a structure that enables ships to be tied up at its edge, while harbors are larger areas protected by breakwaters where multiple vessels can anchor safely. There are two types of docks: floating dry dock and graving dry dock.
The floating dry dock is a U-shaped structure used to lift ships from the water. Water is allowed to fill the platform, and then the ship is directed inside the dock. After the ship is on the platform, the water is drained.
A graving dry dock is a container platform built from concrete, sheet piles, masonry, or stones and placed on the edge of the sea adjacent to the land. Once the ship lands on the platform, a water barrier closes it. The water drains from the structure, allowing the ship to settle on the blocks inside.
- Boat Lifts
Boat lifts are mechanized platforms designed to lift boats from the water onto land for repairs or storage. They are commonly used in marinas or small bodies of water with limited space.
- Marine Railway
Similar to boat lifts, marine railways are tracks that facilitate the movements of marine vessels into and out of water. The railways consist of a ramp, roller tracks, and cables that help pull the ship out of the water for maintenance or storage.
- Coastal Protection Structures
These structures protect coastlines from erosion caused by waves, currents, and storms. They include:
- Retainer Walls
To prevent soil erosion, retaining walls act as barriers between land and water bodies. These structures are commonly used along shorelines to hold back soil and prevent it from being washed away.
- Breaker Walls
Also known as seawalls or wave breakers, these structures absorb the energy of breaking waves before they hit the shoreline. By protecting beaches and other coastal properties, breaker walls help reduce coastal erosion.
- Groins
Groins are long, narrow structures that extend into the water perpendicular to a beach or coastline. They trap sand moving in one direction due to tides or currents, building up beaches on their downstream sides while preventing erosion on their upstream sides.
- Jetties
Similar to groins, they are usually built in pairs at either end of a harbor entrance. Jetties aim to improve navigation conditions for ships entering/exiting harbors by protecting strong currents/waves.
- Boathouses
A boathouse is explicitly designed to store boats or other watercraft when not used. It provides shelter from harsh weather conditions and helps prolong the life of vessels stored inside.
- Bulkheads
Bulkheads serve similar purposes as retainer walls but are typically constructed with sheet piles instead of concrete blocks. Sheet piles are thin interlocking steel sheets that provide support against soil pressure from behind them while acting as barriers between land/water bodies.
- Revetments
Revetments are sloped structures of large rocks or concrete blocks placed along shorelines to protect them from wave action and erosion. They dissipate waves’ energy before they reach the shore, reducing erosion and stabilizing coastlines.
Final Thoughts
Marine construction is critical to many industries that rely on water bodies for transportation, trade, and recreation. It requires specialized knowledge and techniques to overcome the marine environment’s challenges.
With various types of marine construction available, it is essential to carefully consider which structure best suits the intended purpose and location.
Whether it is a berthing facility, dry docking facility, or coastal protection structure, each plays a vital role in ensuring the safety and functionality of marine activities.