The construction of quays for harbour structures, artificial islands, and the banks of watercourses sea, river or lake fronts, jetties, artificial islands, etc. usually involves a retaining structure and a backfill or an embankment.
Types of quays
The retaining structure can be classified as a gravity quay wall or a sheet pile quay wall depending on its characteristics and static behaviour.
In sheet pile quay wall, the lateral containment of the soil supporting the pier superstructure is obtained by means of a diaphragm wall – a sheet pile curtain (metal or concrete) or a continuous RC concrete diaphragm – embedded in the supporting soil, which is usually integrated with an anchoring system to the backfill.
In a gravity quay wall the retaining structure rests on a foundation and has sufficient weight to support the soil pressure of the embankment / backfill.
Lightweight quays backfill
The use of a lightweight, draining Laterlite Expanded Clay backfill for quay walls has numerous advantages over conventional backfill materials, especially evident in sheet pile quays and in existing quayside extension or widening.
See also lightweight embankments and their realisation.
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