Dock #31 in the Port of Sept-Îles is used to transfer iron ore to 180,000-ton ships. This project consisted of extending the dock with the assistance of two dolphins and reinforcing one of its extremities with a reinforced concrete structure on piles. The dolphins are structures on pier piles at which a ship can dock or haul up. Each structure is composed of a mass of 243 m3 of reinforced concrete supported by four drilled, rock-anchored piles. In total, there were 13 36-inch rock-anchored piles and eight 42-inch rock-anchored piles.
The work consisted of:
- Placing the piles that would serve as foundations for the dolphins and the reinforcment of Dock #31. The reinforcement is composed of three piles and 145 m3 of concrete;
- Hollowing the overburden in the piles;
- Drilling the sockets in the rock including the installation of anchors;
- Formwork, reinforcement and concreting of dolphins;
- Provision and installation of steel foot bridges to link the existing dock with the new structures;
- Provision and installation of berthing elements (fenders) and mooring bollards;
- Provision and installation of worked metals (kerbs, ladders, parapets).
Particularities
- Sludge management and disposal of materials from the pile hollowing and socket drilling so as not to disturb aquatic wildlife in the area
- Work done in the presence of ships (changing of fenders and bollards)
- Pile drilling in a constrained space
Challenges
- Complex site navigation due to shallow waters
- Precision work carried out from barges
- Working with elements of nature, mainly wind, waves and tides
- Planning work based on tides