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 STRUCTURAL
Waterfront-Underside-Continued
n Steel structures - Check for:
Corrosion - Corrosion may be evident during visual inspection in
the H-piles and sheet piles in two areas, the splash zone and
approximately two feet below mean low water. Inside steel pipe
piling, anaerobic bacterial corrosion caused by sulphate-reducing
bacteria may also be found to exist
Abrasion - Abrasion of steel structure can generally be recognized
by worn smooth polished areas
Fatigue distress - Fatigue distress can be recognized by a series of
small hairline fractures perpendicular to the line of stress in the
member. Fatigue cracks are difficult to locate by visual inspection.
This problem is more common in offshore platforms with welded
structural connections than in standard piers and wharves
Overload damage - Overloading can be recognized by deformation
or distortion of a structural member in the form of a sharp crimp or
compression of a bearing or batter pile, deflection of steel sheet
piling caused by failure of tie-backs or excessive overload of
back-fill or live load
Loss of foundation material - Erosion may cause loss of foundation
material around the piles supporting the structural element. A loss
of foundation material in front of the sheet pile bulkhead may cause
kick-out of the toe of the wall and result in bulkhead or pile collapse
Underwater -
A recommendation for an underwater inspection should be considered if the
facility maintenance specialist suspects underwater damage. This damage, usually to the
piles, may be due to unique environmental factors or marine borer damage. The check-
lists above may be used when performing and evaluating an underwater inspection.
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