Berth 8 Port Bulkhead Wall
Services Applied by VCS Engineering
Summary
The Ash Grove facility at Port of Manatee in Palmetto, Florida was undergoing repairs due to extensive corrosion deterioration that had occurred in the bulkhead. Berth 8, operated by Ash Grove, is comprised of a steel sheet pile bulkhead with a reinforced concrete cap. Corrosion was so advanced that holes had started to form in the sheet piles along the wall. VCS was hired to design a galvanic cathodic protection system to extend the service life of the bulkhead.
Scope
VCS performed design calculations in accordance with the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) standards for cathodic protection of submerged steel. VCS collected water and soil samples from the area to measure the resistivity of the environment to make sure that the CP design would properly protect the sheet piles in the local environment. In addition, VCS performed quality assurance/quality control during installation of the anodes to make sure they were properly installed and provided protection to the steel per NACE standards.
Solution
VCS completed the galvanic anode design that required a 120 lb aluminum anode every 2.6 ft down the length of the bulkhead and provided technical support to the dive contractor installing the anodes. QA/QC services provided by VCS during installation of the anodes assured proper installation and verified that they provide corrosion protection to the steel as per NACE standards.
