Wharf Embankment and Strengthening Program at the Port of Oakland

The Wharf and Embankment Strengthening Program (WESP) is a structural modification project involving approximately 12,000 linear feet of pile-supported, marginal wharf structures. WESP is necessary because the Port of Oakland plans to deepen its berths from –42' Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) to –52' MLLW, in conjunction with a Federal Government-sponsored channel dredging project. Unless they are structurally reinforced prior to the dredging, the waterfront components (i.e. wharves and embankments) will be weakened by the berth deepening project. WESP is a three-phase program that establishes the existing structural and seismic capacities of waterfront components, develops designs for improvements necessary to maintain these capacities after the berth deepening, and constructs the improvements. WESP also includes consideration of seismic upgrade improvements. The Port is currently completing the first phase of the WESP program. This paper will describe the design criteria, project phasing, construction type of waterfront components, project organization, and results to date for WESP.