Timber Fender Replacement and Jacketing
Wildwood, New Jersey
Hydro-Marine Construction Co., Inc. (Hydro) was retained in late 2017 as a subcontractor to perform fender repairs at the bridge carrying Route 147 over Beach Creek near scenic Wildwood, NJ. The fender systems were being repaired as part of the remaining Hurricane Sandy related funding. The portions of the fender that projected beyond the bridge fascia could be easily removed and replaced. The portions under the bridge however, could not be easily replaced in kind by driving new piles because of the deck above. Therefore, based on this constructability concern and the conditions found, these piles were scheduled to receive structural jackets and be re-used in the new fender. Hydro divers installed approximately 68 fiberglass, epoxy filled jackets ranging from 23’ to 25’ long.
As part of the pre-construction inspection, Hydro utilized support from our affiliate engineering company to perform sonar imaging on the fender in order to determine pile jacket lengths and identify any unforeseen conditions or debris that might impact the work. This imaging revealed an additional horizontal waler below water that was previously unidentified within the contracts documents and would also need to be removed as part of the demolition work. Despite administrative delays, all in-water work was completed before the March 2018 permitting deadline. All barge work was coordinated with the Coast Guard to minimize impact to the main channel.
