Ports and Marine
Port and marine structures come with a unique set of challenges as a result of the difficult coastal environment, which includes aggressive corrosion, wave and ice forces, and geology. These challenges are often exacerbated by special structure demands introduced by the need for deep water berths and large mooring forces, and high structural and earth loads. The MRCE waterfront engineering design experience encompasses structural piers and wharves, fender systems and mooring dolphins, bulkheads and relieving platforms, jetties, revetments, and shoreline erosion protection.
MRCE offers a specialty waterfront structures design practice which has accomplished many port facility and industrial marine projects, and developed urban waterfront for public access. MRCE waterfront engineers are familiar with historic construction methods, condition inspections, and retrofit design detailing. MRCE engineers have developed special details to simplify construction over water including composite steel and concrete piles for deep profiles of soft clay, high capacity cylinder piles, precast pile caps, and platform designs using precast members and composite deck construction methods. The experienced MRCE waterfront engineering team is a major resource for marine projects, using current design tools, and engaging the latest construction methods to improve structure life and reduce cost.
Hoboken Ferry Terminal Complex Restoration
Challenges Solved
The historic Hoboken Ferry Terminal adjoins the NJ Transit passenger rail terminal and PATH train services between New York and New Jersey. The terminal provided ferry service to New York City from 1907 until the late 1960s. In 2012 the ferry terminal was rehabilitated to resume ferry service.
MRCE worked on the 3-phase rehabilitation from 1993 to 2012. MRCE performed a geotechnical subsurface investigation and numerous underwater structural inspections. MRCE developed building repair details and designed new bulkheads and relieving platforms supporting the ferry operations.
Port of Albany - New Wharf at Sheds No. 4 and 5
Challenges Solved
This complex project required construction of an 800-foot long by 46-foot wide high-capacity wharf to replace the existing structure. The new wharf was designed to carry twice the load of the previous structure, and to support additional lateral loads from upland storage. A heavy lift rail was incorporated into the new wharf structure. The old wharf structure was left in place. Its low-level timber platform was supported on closely spaced vertical and battered timber piles, which presented significant challenges for design and installation of replacement piles.
Hudson River Park Pier 26
Challenges Solved
Pier 26 is a 2.5 acre ecologically themed park redeveloped by Hudson River Park Trust along the Hudson River in Tribeca, New York. It is the first new pier to open along the four-mile-long Hudson River Park since 2010, and the first major public space in Manhattan to open in 2020. Pier 26 features an innovative, engineered Tide Deck at the west end of the pier, along with a multi-use recreation field and a large greenscape area with boardwalks and seating.
Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers (MRCE) provided marine engineering services to the multi-disciplinary team led by Olin Studio Landscape Architects that supported the Trust’s in-house team to establish a coordinated approach to control and expedite the project. MRCE designed the modular precast concrete decking, pile foundations, and “ecological” platform to achieve the desired Hudson River Estuary appearance and enhance marine growth and features such as an oyster farm. Setting the low-level platform, with piles and deck at mid-tide elevation, was a significant challenge to achieve in the Hudson River environment. MRCE also designed the wave attenuation system to be incorporated into the main structure. The innovative design utilizes giant boulders placed in a layout that acts as wave attenuator and protects the pier’s ecological features from ice impacts.
Hudson River Park Morton Street Bulkhead Restoration
Challenges Solved
Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers (MRCE) served as the project lead for the Morton Street bulkhead restoration in Hudson River Park. This site parallels Route 9A between the bikeway and the US Pierhead line between Christopher and Morton Streets. The bulkhead in the area became unstable and caused damage to the park and its finishes.
MRCE provided marine, geotechnical and site civil engineering, landscape architectural, cost estimating, subconsultant management and construction administration services for bulkhead repair and replacement and the upland park finishes and improvements. During the design development, MRCE provided management of the landscape architect retained for the replacement of the existing walkway and esplanade, and developed construction documents for the reconstruction of the bulkhead that included drilling pipe piles through the existing bulkhead and inclined tiebacks to stabilized lateral movement of the bulkhead. Construction administration services including review of contractor submittals, special Inspection of tiebacks, and settlement monitoring services of existing bulkhead by Automated Motorized Total Station (AMTS) and borehole inclinometers.