Client: Dublin Port Company
DBFL provided the full design service, including pavement design, design of support structures for the new metal recycling area, drainage design and coordination of specialist consultants / contractors.
Berths 46 and 47, known as ‘Coal Quay’, are located on the south bank of the mouth of the River Liffey, approximately 2km downstream of the Tom Clarke Bridge, formerly the East-Link Toll Bridge. It provides space for metal recycling, the import of cement replacement products and vegetable oils, as well as other forms of bulk materials. A Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) required the transfer of Dublin Port lands at the eastern end of Coal Quay to accommodate outfall works for the major Dublin Waste to Energy (DWTE) project, which nessecitaed moving an existing metal recycling facility to the western extents of Coal Quay.
The berths had fallen into a state of disrepair over many years of heavy industrial use. The project called for the removal of the existing road pavement, historical crane rails and existing dilapidated infrastructure. The pavement surface was then replaced with a high strength concrete pavement, making use of silica fume, together with replacement of sub-surface specialist import pipe infrastructure, drainage and power supply ducting. The works also required installation of new bollards, ladders, quay edge restraints and lighting upgrades to assist with the future operation of the berths.
The main challenge was to keep the berths opertional throughout the works, which required significant collaboration with the Client and Operators at design stage, as well as with the Contractor at construction stage. The successful delivery of this project ensured that the outfall works for the DWTE scheme could proceed in a timely manner.
DBFL designed the new quayside pavement as a 300mm deep ground bearing RC slab, which is capable of withstanding the loads from heavy duty quayside operations. Capping depths were minimised across the site by carrying out targeted plate load tests of the formation across the site. Through detailed consultation with the Client and Operators, DBFL ensured the proposed works were future-proofed, by incorporating extensions of the existing molasses and vegetable transfer lines within the works area, as well as new traps for Irish Cement. This collaborative approach ensured that existing operators would be well serviced into the future, and avoid the need for costly excavations works post-installation. DBFL also carried out extensive condition surveys of existing boundary walls and structures adjacent to the works area, which mitigated the rebuilding of these elements, subject to careful planning and phasing of the proposed works.
Project Director
