PIER POSITION
Construction of new pier has multiple
phases, extreme weather conditions
By Heather Hudson
If it’s not the frequent container ship
mooring, it’s the punishing ocean
swells that take their toll on even the
sturdiest of piers.
And when said pier is perched at the
edge in the far north – where the only
thing separating it from the vast ocean is
a small barrier reef – you can imagine the
importance of ensuring it’s resilient.
Pacific Pile & Marine is replicating
an existing pier near Kodiak, Alaska that’s
vital to the local population. The pier
receives the bulk of the town’s supplies in a
container ship twice a week.
The new design will feature more
modern engineering with a pile-supported
pier, steel piles and beams, a concrete
deck with panels and two breasting and
mooring dolphins. A project of this magnitude
requires six distinct phases. With
the guidance of Pacific Pile & Marine’s onsite
project manager, Zach Martin, we’re
breaking them down for you.
Phase 1
It was clear at the outset that the native
material on an unstable slope wouldn’t be
The wind and waves are proving
to be a tough challenge
90 | QUARTER 1 2015