Trip_Report_-_Caven_Point_-_28_DEC_2011.pdf

CENAN-EN 29 December 2011

MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD

SUBJECT: Bulkhead Damage Assessment at Caven Point Marine Terminal

1. On 28 December 2011, Ron St. Laurent and Stan Sedwick from CENAN-EN travelled with representatives of CENAN-OP to the USACE Caven Point Marine Terminal located in Jersey City, New Jersey. The purpose of the trip was to preliminarily assess damages which occurred when a cargo ship ran into a bulkhead at the facility earlier the same day.

2. The area of concern is located in the southeast corner of the Caven Point facility (see Photos 1 and 2). A cargo ship was reportedly being turned around by tugboats before docking in the scrap metal yard located across the water to the southwest of the USACE facility when it ran directly into the bulkhead. The ship in question, M/V Feyza (see Photos 3 and 4), was docked at the scrap metal yard at the time of our arrival (approximately 1400 hours).

3. Plans for the bulkhead were provided to us for a quick review before assessment of the damage. Based on our brief review, the bulkhead was originally constructed in the 1950’s, and consisted of a sheet pile wall with 45’ long steel rod turnbuckle-type tie-back anchors. In the 1990’s, a concrete facing was added. The base of the facing was driven into the ground to a depth of 25 feet below mean water level, and two tongue-and-groove panels were stacked on top. The panels were pinned to the sheet pile walls, and then the gap between the sheet pile and concrete facing was filled with concrete. A timber pile fender system was also constructed around the concrete facing.

4. Preliminary Damage Assessment:

The southeast corner of the bulkhead appears to be have sustained significant damage from the collision:

the concrete slab adjacent to the impact location is cracked and heaved (see Photo 5);

some of the concrete cap atop the sheet pile wall and concrete facing is destroyed (see

Photo 6);

two timber piles of the fender system have been destroyed, and at least three other piles are damaged (see Photos 7, 8 and 9); and the concrete facing panels (#2 through 6 as numbered on Photo 9) above the waterline are destroyed or heavily damaged, and adjacent panels may also be damaged due to their tongue-and-groove construction. Other panels below the water line have also likely sustained severe damage.

Additional items also likely sustaining significant damage, but unable to be viewed at this time:

the sheet pile wall is likely bent and its integrity to retain backfill soil or equipment surcharge loads severely compromised;

the tie-backs are likely damaged or destroyed and not likely to be able to be reused;

the concrete panels below the waterline have also likely suffered significant damage.

5. Initial Assessment: although the bulkhead has sustained significant damage due to the collision, it generally does not appear to be in danger of imminent collapse. The basis for this assessment:

the concrete facing is still in-place, even though it is crushed;

there does not currently appear to be any loss of backfill material from behind the bulkhead into the water, as evidenced by lack of voids below the concrete slab in locations where it has cracked or heaved up to allow visual observations of the slab subgrade materials; and the bulkhead itself does not appear to be settling or showing any signs of imminent collapse.

Therefore, short-term emergency repairs do not currently appear necessary.

However, for the foreseeable future the bulkhead should be monitored by USACE Caven Point staff on a daily basis to note if there are any changing conditions. A dive team will reportedly be visiting the site in the near future. The divers should assess the condition of the concrete panels, noting any damage or displacement in “x” (horizontal), “y” (vertical), or “z” directions. The divers should also confirm that bulkhead backfill materials are not migrating through any cracks within the panels or between the panels and into the water. The results of the dive team’s assessment of the bulkhead condition below the waterline should also be provided for review as soon as available to confirm that the existing conditions are not more critical than currently believed based on the surface visual assessment.

6. Longer-term repairs: in order to provide the same level of protection as before the incident, the bulkhead should be repaired to its pre-collision condition. Items necessary to perform design of the bulkhead repair include:

the results of the dive team’s assessment of the conditions below the waterline;

the original design plans;

plans from the 1990’s improvements; and the results of surface visual monitoring by USACE Caven Point personnel.

Stan Sedwick, P.E.

Geotechnical Team Leader

CENAN-EN

Ron St. Laurent, P.E.

Civil Engineer

CENAN-EN

Photo 1: Aerial photo showing damage area. (Microsoft Bing photo)

Photo 2: Bird’s eye aerial of damage area showing a former structure. (Microsoft Bing photo)

Photo 3: Photo of M/V Feyza. (Denak website photo)

Photo 4: Photo looking southwest at damaged bulkhead with M/V Feyza in background, docked at scrap metal yard.

Photo 5: View looking southeast toward damaged corner of bulkhead. Concrete slab is heaved and cracked beyond repair.

Photo 6: Photo looking southeast along the existing concrete cap at corner of bulkhead.

Concrete cap is destroyed.

Photo 7: Photo from USACE dock looking east toward damaged bulkhead.

Photo 8: Photo looking east toward damaged bulkhead.

Photo 9: Photo from boat looking east at damaged bulkhead (with concrete panels numbered for reference).