Waterfront structures define the shoreline in ocean, lake and river environments. Efficient and economical development or restoration of waterfront structures requires extensive experience in geotechnical engineering and familiarity with structural systems used on the waterfront. MRCE brings exceptional expertise to waterfront structure inspection, design, rehabilitation and permitting.
Inspections
Marine structure inspections are often challenged by restricted access, tidal conditions, and currents. MRCE engineers specializing in the design and rehabilitation of waterfront structures are adept at defining the structural system, evaluation of damage to structural components (marine borers, dry rot, spalling, and steel and concrete quality) to determine the remaining structural life or down-grade live load capacity.
Design
Subsurface conditions are often very poor at the shoreline. Proper definition of subsurface conditions and design parameters is fundamental to successful design and performance of waterfront structures. Loads from earth and water, ice, wind, vessel impact and vessel mooring must be defined and managed in the design. MRCE engineers offer extensive experience in the design of:
Bulkhead and fender systems
Stress relieving platforms
Cellular cofferdams and gravity structures
Piers and wharfs, platform structures
Mooring and breasting structures
Marine outfalls
Revetments and erosion control structures
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation begins with a determination of structure conditions and load demands for use. Original structure designs were often able to support more load than the present use, making rehabilitation feasible. Increasing draft for modern-day ship use can challenge the capacity of existing structures, requiring structural augmentation. Rehabilitation and retrofit can include repairs in-kind, jacket and grouting to restore pile section, posting, and frame enhancement. Addition of supports such as batter piles, tieback or deadman anchors, and toe pins can improve structure performance, increase load capacity or add structural life. Addition of relieving platforms upland allows storage of high load bulk products or crane loading. MRCE engineers understand the design fundamentals of waterfront structures and forces they must support, enabling design of economic rehabilitation and upgrades for deeper draft or adaptation to new uses.
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.
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.
Casino Pier - Post Sandy Damage Assessment & Rehab
Hurricane Sandy destroyed a large portion of Casino Pier, a timber structure providing summertime amusement on the Jersey Shore. The storm damage placed its marquee roller coaster on the ocean floor and left rides and concession buildings dangling precariously. Pier rehabilitation required demolition and replacement of significant portions of the pier, in the difficult-to-work surf zone, while racing against the clock to open for the summer tourist season.
Hudson River Park Morton Street Bulkhead Restoration
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.
The Greenpoint-Williamsburg Waterfront Open Space Master Plan guides open space development along a two mile stretch of the East River in these two neighborhoods. As part of the 2005 Greenpoint waterfront rezoning, several parcels along the East River and Newtown Creek were to be converted as parkland.
Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers (MRCE) is the Lead Marine Designer and Geotechnical Engineer for the first two parks to be developed: Box Street and Newtown Barge Parks. MRCE performed the subsurface investigation and condition survey of existing waterfront structures and provided recommendations for repair/replacement options to support the planned park developments, including dock demolition and reconstruction and shoreline stabilization schemes, designed shoreline treatments at Newtown Barge Park, and retaining walls and pipe pile supported bulkheads in Box Street Park. MRCE also developed designs and contract documents for the selected repair/replacement options, including berthing capabilities for the DEP sludge loading vessel at Newtown Barge Park and performed construction support services during construction
Greenville Yard is the western terminus of the current railcar transfer float (barge) system, which operates between Jersey City and 65th Street Rail Yard on the Brooklyn waterfront. The barge system that moves goods across the New York Harbor has been in existence since before the growth of the national highway system and before the construction of vehicular bridges spanning the Hudson River.
The Port Authority of NY & NJ redeveloped the Greenville Yard to increase the amount of freight moved by rail, thereby reducing the region's dependence on trucks. The project encompasses multiple areas of improvement including temporary repairs to Bridge #11, its slip and fender system; demolition of existing Bridges #9, 10 and 12, construction of new transfer Bridges #9 and 10, reconstruction of existing upland support tracks and construction of new tracks and barges to the improved facility.
Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers (MRCE) provided geotechnical and marine engineering services for the demolition and reconstruction of the bridges and fender systems and the upland support tracks. MRCE services include assisting the Port Authority with developing and conducting the subsurface investigation program, developing soil and seismic design parameters for settlement analyses and new foundations, assisting the team with evaluating the condition of the existing bridge foundations and fender systems to develop designs for the temporary repair of Bridge #11, demolition of existing bridges and design of foundations for the new bridges and fender systems, along with construction cost estimates, construction schedule and construction support services