Extending the Service Life of Mooring Cells

The “mooring cell” is the most common type of waterfront structure supporting inland marine terminals. Industries that depend on inland rivers and barges to ship and receive bulk materials utilize mooring cells to support barge fleets. Multiple issues have been discovered with aging mooring cells, stemming from a lack of maintenance, environmental exposure, wear and tear from standard usage, and advanced age. These issues primarily take the form of corrosion, which amplifies other forms of deterioration and damage with mooring cells. In many instances, repairs can be made to mooring cells to increase the service life while maintaining the capacity of the structure at a reduced cost, and with a reduced down-time commitment, when compared with a complete replacement. Best practice engineered mooring cell repairs include panel patches of specific areas, partial cell bands, and full cell bands. Each repair method offers different cost and service life benefits. This paper will describe common observed deterioration, important considerations for repairs versus replacement, including cost, service life, and the ability of the structure to meet the demand of facility operations, and common methods and best practices for the repair of mooring cells.