Client:Dublin Port Company
DBFL undertook the role of Technical Advisor on this prestigious marine project in Dublin Port.
The roll-on / roll-off (RoRo) jetty at Cross Berth Quay forms part of the overall Alexandra Basin Regeneration (ABR) Project at Dublin Port, the first Masterplan. The dolphin structure is comprised of nine reinforced concrete dolphins, supported on tubular steel piles. Access walkways, fenders, mooring bollards, quick release hooks, ladders and support infrastructure also form part of the works. DBFL provided technical advisory services to the project team on this part of the overall ABR Project.
This project was shortlisted for ‘Engineering Project of the Year’ at the Engineers Ireland Excellence Awards, 2019.
DBFL were responsible for reviewing the various design packages for the works, and provided a construction monitoring role during the construction and handover phases of the project. Particular challenges included the corrosive marine environment. All of the steel elements had to be suitably protected against corrosion risk. Different protection systems were proposed for different elements, including paint systems and galvanizing. A thorough understanding of these corrosion systems was required to maximise the useful life of the system, and to minimise maintenance operations, in line with the client’s functional requirements. DBFL also carried out off-site workshop inspections, to ensure the coating systems were being applied to a high standard.
The ‘flexible’ nature of the dolphin and pile arrangement, which moves under berthing and mooring loads, necessitated that the walkways were capable of accommodating the range of movement in the dolphin structures. In addition, utilities, including a watermain, run underneath the steel walkways and through the concrete dolphins. In order to ensure the watermain could accommodate the relative movement, a flexible coupling had to be provided at each dolphin. In addition, insulation was provided over the exposed sections of the watermain to minimise the risk of freezing in extreme weather.
Project Director