Massive RD® pile wall delivery started to major improvement project at Peterhead Harbour, Scotland

First deliveries of RF/RM interlocked drilled piles have arrived at Peterhead Harbour in November. Drilled piles RD600/12.5 have been produced and interlock welding has taken place in Oulainen works, Finland. Complete delivery consists of 1 062 piles (3 000 t), approximately 10 500 square meters of RD pile wall. To guarantee fast start of the project, combined transportation was used. First piles were delivered in vessels from Raahe, close to Oulainen mill, to Hull harbour in east coast of UK and further transported in trucks to final destination in Peterhead. Rest of the piles, representing the majority of the total delivery, are delivered in vessels straight from Raahe harbour to Peterhead.

Installation of the RD® pile wall has been progressing as planned. Piling contractor is Quinn Piling, one of Ireland’s leading geotechnical experts. So far the installed end result is positive and exceeding expectations. Deliveries and installation will continue until next spring.

Figure 1. Installation of RD pile wall has been progressing as planned

In September, joint venture partnership between civil engineering contractor McLaughlin & Harvey and dredging contractor Boskalis Westminster was appointed by Peterhead Port Authority for Peterhead Scheme 2. The project entails the strengthening and deepening of the inner harbours, land reclamation with revetment, widening of the harbour entrance and demolition works. As well as creating deep water access to the inner harbours, realignment of key structures will improve access to the inner harbours to facilitate larger and deeper drafted vessels. While deepening the harbour, the dredged material will be used to create a 25 000 m2 reclamation area for future developments, while maximising existing resources and achieving environmental benefits for the scheme.

In order to allow the harbour floors to be dredged from -3.2m to -6.5m CD, the existing quay walls within the Harbour will be strengthened using RD® pile wall solution. During the early design phase of the project, SSAB’s technical experts gave guidance on design and installation principles of the solution. Thereafter RD® pile wall was tailored to suit the specific requirements in Peterhead as a result of close collaboration between McLaughlin & Harvey and Peterhead Port Authority’s designer, RPS Consulting Engineers.

“We chose the RD® pile wall solution because it greatly simplifies the pile installation sequence. The client’s original design required the use of rock bunds to install reinforced concrete bored piles in a Hard/Soft pile sequence to form the new quay wall. The RD® pile wall solution eliminated this rock bund and also means the piles can be installed in one step to create a continuous wall with only one piling rig”, says Stephen McAuley, Contract Manager at McLaughlin & Harvey.

Figure 2. Installation of RD® pile wall has started in November

The scheme is part of the overall redevelopment of the Port. It is largest development project in the history of the Port. Work has commenced in the middle of October 2016 and should be complete in April 2018. The Project will enhance Peterhead’s position as Europe’s premier fishing port.

Figure 3. Project will enhance Peterhead’s position as Europe’s premier fishing port