THE SCHEME
Port of Brighton, berth 2 located in the southeastern part of the island required urgent repair to the existing sheet piles which were suffering from corrosion. Soletanche Bachy International and its local subsidiary, Soletanche Bachy Cimas, collaborated for 25 months to build a 352-meter retaining wall positioned approximately five meters ahead of the existing berth, alongside a heavy loading area (Ro-Ro) supported by piles.
CONSTRUCTION
In addressing the heavy lift area, the existing structure comprised 48 concrete blocks supported by a metal framework of transverse beams welded to metallic piles, reinforced by angles at their edges. To facilitate modifications, the angles blocking the concrete joints were cut, allowing for the systematic removal of each block. Initially, an excavator pushed the blocks, later assisted by a crane for precise removal. Subsequently, existing piles and steel beams were cut and extracted. The demolition debris was responsibly disposed of in an approved area, with a sizeable portion of the concrete recycled and reused onsite.
The primary objective was to complete the Ro-Ro construction, enabling the load-out of the BP gas platform deck and topside, weighing 4000 metric tons. This Ro-Ro heavy lift platform, supported by discrete tubular piles totalling 750 metric tons, was anchored until reaching stable ground elevation. Subsequently, tie rods were installed from the main retaining wall to connect it with the platform, followed by sand backfilling before constructing the heavy concrete superstructure. Notably, during the HLA construction, a procedure was devised to install tie rods beneath the concrete, necessitating the installation of 19 pipe segments before backfilling to facilitate tie rod installation post-concrete pouring.
The main specifications for this project are:
- Construction of a combiwall (350 m) in front of the berth line of the existing structure with 12.5 m design draft including 4,000 MT of King piles (HZ1080 – 275 no) and sheetpiles (401 no AZ18-700)
- 183 no permanent anchors
- Heavy lift platform on piles with 750 MT of piles (52 no piles diameter 1,219 mm x 15.5 mm) and 1,200 m3 of concrete structure,
- Extraction of 645 no sheetpiles
- 43 no fenders and 12 no bollards 100 t.
PROJECT SUCCESS
The construction of the BP Topside and Deck Gas Platform required a larger area than anticipated by the Employer NEC. Soletanche Bachy orchestrated a redesign to accommodate both platform assembly and berth construction concurrently. This strategic adjustment ensured timely completion of the quay with stringent safety measures (zero lost-time incidents), meeting the platform assembly deadline for its scheduled launch. This successful execution led to complete client satisfaction, showcasing our commitment to delivering results that align with their expectations and project milestones.
Photo credits: Soletanche Bachy International
