Development of an Innovative, Partially Prestressed Concrete Pier Concept to Enhance the Durability of U.S. Navy Piers

A majority of the active waterfront structures used by the U.S. Navy were constructed more than 50 years ago. In many of these structures, concrete damage due to corrosion of reinforcing steel has resulted in significant costs for maintenance and repairs. The Naval Facilities Command (NAVFAC) Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center (EXWC) conducted a multi-year research project funded in part by the Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD) Corrosion Protection and Control (CPC) program with a goal of developing a prototype fully prestressed concrete pier design with the same features as the recently constructed Pier 12 at Naval Base San Diego that would minimize concrete cracking to produce more durable Navy piers resulting in a significant reduction in maintenance and replacement costs for the Navy waterfront inventory. Pier 12, primarily used to berth aircraft carriers, consists of a 2-foot-thick (0.6-meter) reinforced concrete flat slab deck supported on 2-foot (0.6-meter) prestressed concrete piles spaced at about 20 feet (6 meters) on center each way.