BURNS ON THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF NO. 8 DRY DOCK AT NORTH SHIELDS FOR SMITHS DOCK CO.

LTD

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MARITIME AND WATERWAYS ENGINEERING DIVISION MEETING

1 February, 1955
Sir Arthur Whitaker, Member, Chairman of the Division, in the Chair
The following Paper was presented for discussion and, on the motion of the Chairman, the thanks of the Division were accorded to the Author. Maritime Paper No. 28

THEDESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF NO. 8 DRY DOCK AT NORTH SHIELDS FOR SMITHS DOCK CO. LTD

* Thomas Frederick Burns, M.I.C.E.

SYNOPSIS The Paper deals with the construction of a new No. 8 dry dock a t North Shields for Smiths Dock Co. Ltd, a deep-water quay forming an extension of the existing quay, and the facilities necessary for the docking and repair of large ships, particularly oil tankers. Steel sheet-pilingwas used for the dock and quay walls in view of the apparently suitable ground conditions. An underground pump-housewas built near the dock entrance insidea cofferdam ; the difficulties of construction and their consequences are described. The dewatering pumpingplant is operated throughan anti-siphonic system which eliminates the use of sluice and reflux valves. A Box flap gate, believed to be the largest yet constructed, was installed to close the entrance. The provisions for ancillary services are dealt with. An arch-dam cofferdam of steel sheet-pilingstiffened by arch ribs was constructed a t the dock entrance and theuse of a temporary abutment for it is described.

by

INTRODUCTION POST-WAR developments in the oil industry, and the resultant construction of many large oil tankers of between 26,000 and 45,000 tons deadweight to serve the new refineries in Britain and abroad, have given the ship-repairing industry much concern. These vessels are becoming due for survey in dry dock, but available docking facilities owned by commercial concerns are relatively few. Smiths Dock Co. Ltd, as one of the premier tanker-repairing firms, foresaw this situation in 1949, and the Authors firm was asked to advise

* The Author is Delivered a Partner by in ICEVirtualLibrary.com thefirm of T. F. Burns to: & Partnerm. London.
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on the siting and construction of a new dock of adequate dimensions for such ships, together with all facilities necessary to execute. their efficient repair. These facilities included a comprehensive system of services, cranes, pumping equipment, boiler house, transformer station, and electrically operated lift fromdock bottom to theplaters shed area at the top of the bank, where the workshop area is located. At that time it is believed the largest tanker being built was of 26,000 tons deadweight and estimates were prepared for docks of various dimensions. After full consideration of further possible developments it was decided that the principal dimensions of the dock should be 700 feet long, 95 feet wide a t the entrance with adepth of 27 feet below H.W.O.S.T. over the sill, and that provision be made in the tenderdocuments for an alternative price for a dock 650 feet long, the other dimensions being unchanged. It is to be noted that the dimensions for the shorter dock coincide with those mentioned in the Memorandum on Construction and Equipment of Dry Docks, subsequently issued by the Institution in 1952. In view of the relatively small saving for the reduction of 50 feet in length it was decided that 700 feet was justified and the contract was let for a dock of this length. During the course of construction it was, however, decided to extend the dock to a total length of 709 feet by making minor modifications ; the other dimensions remained unchanged. In a Paper read before the Institutionof Naval Architects 1 Champness discussed the shortage in Britain of dry docks to accommodate the larger tankers and outlined the facilities which he considered necessary for the execution of efficient repairs ; many of these facilities had already been embodied in the scheme described in the Paper. The dock as built is capable of taking a 38,000-ton d.w. tanker with ample working space and hasfull facilities for extensive repair works. Tenders were invited in August 1950 and the contractwas awarded to Holloway Bros (London) Ltd. Work nominally started in December 1950 and was completed in June 1954. The dock was officially opened by the First Lord of the Admiralty, The Right Honourable Mr J. P. L. Thomas, M.P., on the 18th June,1954.

SITE
The site of the work is on the north bank of the River Tyne about 2
miles from its mouth and at theupstream end of Smiths Dock CO.Sdock-

yard (see Fig. 1, Plate 1). To provide a satisfactory approachfor large ships entering the dock and to reduce the amount of land which had to be acquired, the centre-line of the dock was set a t a nangle of 28$ degrees to theriver face of the existing deep-water quay, 380-foot a extension of which was included in the contract.
E. L. Champnesa, Large Dry Docks. Trans. Instn Nav. Archts, vol. 95, p. 2331(July 1953). Delivered by ICEVirtualLibrary.com to: IP: 92.22.57.167 On: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 20:25:41

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This location and alignment also had the advantage that it disturbed relatively little of the existingdockyard facilities apart from the old pontoon dock which, although more than 60 years old, was in use up to the date of commencement of the construction work. Thesite of the constructional works was almost entirely divorced from the dockyard. An old timber water-boat jettyimmediately upstream of Smiths Dock Co.s premises was demolished and the west roundhead to the dock entrance now extends over this area. Facilities for the water boats were transferred to the adjacentTyne Improvement Commissions jetty. The ground rises steeply to a level of about +SO.O O.D., that is, about 48 feet above coping level of the dock, and about 250,000 cubic yards of excavation was necessary to reduce the general ground level to coping level (+ 12.50 O.D.). One road belonging tothe Tyne Improvement Commission giving access to the Albert Edward Dock and the public road to Robson Millers saw mills, together with the various services, had to be diverted clear of the site before the main construction work began.

SITE INVESTIGATIONS
Eight borings were made by Soil Mechanics Ltd, the results of which are illustrated in Pig. 2, Plate 1. Their locations are shown on the general plan of the dock in Fig. 3, Plate 1. I n general, these penetrated to about 25 feet below the bottom of the dock floor and showed thick deposits of firm sandy clayey silt witha gravel matrix and occasional sandstone boulders. Thin sand layers or pockets a t irregular intervals existed a t various levels but, with this exception, the boreholes showed continuous boulder clay throughout the full depth. No water was found in boreholes Nos 1, 4(a),5, 6, and 7 during boring. In boreholes Nos 2,3, and 4 river water was present throughout the boring and the water levels varied with the tide. The shear value of the boulder clay ranged between 1,300 and 9,300 lb. per square foot. Near the dock entrance where shear values of 2,000 lb. per square foot existed a t formation level the ultimate bearing capacity was estimated a t 5 tons per square foot and near the dock head where shear values of 6,000 lb. per square footwere obtained, an ultimate bearing stress of 15 tons per square foot was estimated. Observations of the existing banks showed that, in general, they had stood formany years a t a slope of 1 : 1.5 and itwas, therefore, decided that the newly excavated slopes should be similar. Some previous pitched slopes had stood a t a slope of 1 : 1. Calculations were made, however, on the slip-plane theory and these gave a factor of safety of a t least two, Deliveredof by 2,000 ICEVirtualLibrary.com foot. assuming a shear resistance lb. per square to:
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TIDALDATA
The spring tidal range in the River Tyne is 15 feet and Ordance Datum isapproximate mean tide level; H.W.O.S.T. is +7.92 and L.W.O.S.T. -7.08 O.D. Coping level of the dock and deep-waterquayis $12.50 O.D., which is the level generallyadoptedby the TyneImprovement Commission. Extreme high tides have reached alevel of about +l2.0 a t the Swing Bridge, Newcastle, but at the site the highest tide was estimated a t +11.0 O.D.

Design
DOCKWALLS The mass of ilrm impermeable strata revealed by the borings encouraged the idea that a departure from the conventional mass-concrete walls was a feasible proposition. It was considered that this would reduce the cost of the dock very substantially, saving not only the cost of the gravity concrete wall but also the expensive trench excavation and temporary revetment of the earth faces by sheet-piling, or such like. Capital costs in such projects are obviously of great importance, particularly when a dock has to pay itsway as a commercial proposition. The idea was developed and steel sheet-piling was adopted for permanently revetting the face of the dock below the subway construction. The dock profile was the subject of much consideration andit was decided that two upper altars for strutting and two bilge altars would be adequate. In Fig. 4,Plate 2, is shown a typical cross-section. Corrosion of the piling was seriously considered but, afterdrawing upon the knowledge of various authorities and the piling company, it was considered that the risk of corrosion on the back, or earth face, of the piling was unlikely to be serious, bearing in mind the apparent impermeability of the ground retained. Drillings were made at two levels in some steel sheet-piling veryclose to thesite andit was found that thecorrosion during 15 years was rather less than is generally expected. The dockside face of the piles could obviously be maintained adequately without any difficulty and Smiths Dock Co. decided to accept the scheme. Protection of the piling generally by cathodic methods was considered and may be applied after the results of experiments now being carried out in the Tyne and elsewhere have been fully analysed. No satisfactory methodof calculating the probable stresses in the piling appeared to be available for the prevailing ground conditions. An analysis based on water pressure to mean tide level, with lateral pressures from the clay deduced from Bells formula, gave a maximum theoretical stress inthe piling of only about 3.3 tons per square inch. I n view, however, of the probability of hard driving, the possible effects and by the overriding desire toto: have an ample reserve of softening of the clay, Delivered ICEVirtualLibrary.com
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against the effects of corrosive action, it was decided to use the heaviest section of piling available in England. The Larssen No. 5 piling was adopted and by arrangement with the rolling mills the web thickness was increased from to 1 inch. The section modulus of this section was 60.63 inches3 per foot with a weight of 52.45 lb. per square foot. On a portion of the south-east side of the dock where the piled wall has to sustaina backing of clay filling excavated from the dock and consolidated mainly in the dry, an analysis was applied, but the filling was assumed to be waterlogged to H.W.O.S.T., # = 35 degrees and W = 120 lb. per cubic foot, and the Rankine formula was used. The sheltering effect of the subway, which was carried on bearing piles, was taken into consideration and under these conditions the maximum estimated stress is 7.9 tons per square inch. All piles were treated with acid-free tar compound before driving and all exposed surfaces were given two coatsof Wailes Dove No. 50 bituminous solution on completion. These sheet-piles ranged from 41 to 46 feet in lengthand it was felt that it should be possible to drive a pile of this length in the firm boulder clay without undue difficulty. It was not overlooked that some difficulties might result from boulders but it was considered that these could be dealt with by excavating to the offending boulder, removing it, and driving the pile on. Experience later showed that this assumption was correct but that the incidence of whinstone boulders in considerable numbers, which were not revealed by the borings, created considerable difficulties which were not foreseen and the measures to overcome these are described later. The heads of the piles wereconcreted into the bottom of the subway and in the original design a waling consisting of two R.S. channels was bolted tothe piles to which 24-inch-diameter mild-steel tie-rods were fixed. This arrangement was subsequently amended tosuitthe construction described later. These tie-rods were also embedded in a continuous concrete anchor block 2 feet 6 inches thick reinforced with fabric. This block was sited on the centre-line of the back crane-track and was extended vertically to form a foundationfor the track. The distance between the piling and the anchorage was not so great as is usual for the development of full passive resistance but theclose proximity of the toe of the slopes over much of the length of the dock, and the need for a founda.tion for the crane track, led to the adoption of the deep anchorage where a much greater area than normal became available for the development of passive resistance. It was later decided not to excavate in trenchfor the numerous tie-rods and backfill but to drill holes from the clay face forming the back of the subway excavation, insert the rods, and afterwards cast the anchor block. This method eliminated all disturbance of the soil in front of the anchorage Delivered by ICEVirtualLibrary.com to:resistance. and consequently considerably increased its passive
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The designof the length of about 220 feet of dock wall on the south-east side, which was not constructed in virgin clay, was similar in principle but the tie-rods were linked with those forming the anchorage of the deepwater-quay piling described later. In this area the landward crane-trackwas formed of reinforced concrete beams carried by pairs of cast-in-situ piles raking 1 : 6. These beams also support the decking between crane track and subway, whichwasalso supported on bearing piles at the rear.

DOCK FLOOR
The dock floor is not designed to act as an inverted arch as is usual in the orthodox mass-concrete design. It was considered thatthe newly deposited filling on the south-east dock side could not be relied upon to take the resulting thrust from the floor if designed as an arch. It was, therefore, decided to design it as a simple beamspanning between the sheet-piled walls with high-tensile square twisted reinforcingbarsin the top. The vertical reactions from hydrostatic pressure are taken by the sheet-piles forming the dock walls. A bracket formed out of 14-inch-by-12-inchbroad-flange beam about 12 inches long was welded to the piles within the floor thickness on every alternate pile to transmit the load from floor to piles, and thereby mobilize adequate weight and frictional resistance against uplift. Although it was considered rather doubtful, in view of ground conditions, that full hydrostatic pressure would become operative on the floor, provision was made for such pressure up to mean tide level by the use of high-tensile steel a t a working stress of 32,000 lb. per square inch. The floor was constructed in 1 : 8.25 concrete throughout. At the dock entrance the floor was 12 feet thick, reducing to 8 feet a t the dock head on the centre-line, and the corresponding side thicknesses were 9 to 6 feet respectively.

DOCK DRAINAGE

It will be noted that no drainage culverts or side channels are provided since the latter have been found unsatisfactory in practice, becoming clogged with dirt, refuse, etc., and the covers often being broken. In this case the floor is slightly depressed against the lower bilge altar so that it can be easily cleaned. The whole floor is graded l : 300 longitudinally to the entrance and 12-inch cross-fall is provided to the bilge altars. A maintransversedrainage channel is provided about 40 feet from the entrance leading into the main sump under the pump-house.
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DOCKFILLING
Pilling of the dock is effected by means of an equilibrium valve set in a concrete chamber on the west side of the dock. A 5-foot-diameter circular culvert connects the valve to themain sump underthe pump-house which communicates directly with the dock through the dock-drainage sumps and transverse channel already described. The filling valve was supplied and fked by Sir William Arrol & Co. Ltd and consists of a vertical mild-steel cylinder 6 feet in diameter fitted with counterweights. When the valve is closed a rubber seal attached t o the base of the cylinder is seated on the machined edge of a galvanized angle ring set on, and bolted to, a cast-iron pipe tapering from 6 feet to 5 feet. The top of the angle ring is -0.92 feet below L.W.O.S.T. so that the dock can be filled at any state of the tide. The cylinder can be raised a maximum of 18 inches by means of a capstan screw fitted in a steel cover a t coping level ; this capstan is easily turned by two men. This type of valve has been used in other docks in the area and hasbeen found effective and simple in use. Behind the screen stoplog grooves are provided for damming off the water when maintenance is necessary. The dock can be filled by this meamin 14 hour. In addition, there are two hand-operated 21-inch-square sluice valves in theentrance gate,which can be employed to accelerate the filling if required.

SERVICES SUBWAY
The services are contained within a reinforced concrete subway forming the upper portions of the dock walls and a typical cross-section is shown in Fig. 5. The subway is continuous from the pump-house on the west side to the east roundhead, where a connexion is made to the services duct on the deep-water quay. The dockside wall of the subway embodies the two upper altars on the outside and itsinside face is thickened and stepped to provide supports for the various piped services so that each service is readily accessible for maintenance and there is space for further servioes if required. The rear wall of the subway is vertical and is provided with racks for the various electrical cables ; switchgear also is mounted on this wall. The connexions to the services in the subway are brought to a series of recesses on the face of the dock wall below the coping and areaccessible from the top altar, thus permitting the unobstructed travel of the dockside cranes. Hinged covers are provided over these recesses for all the piped services. Openings are arranged a t frequent intervals for electrical cablea which can be pulled through from connecting points inside the subway. Details of the servioes installed are given in Appendix 111. Delivered by ICEVirtualLibrary.com to: Access is obtained by means of a staircase situated inside the boiler
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FIG. 6.-cROSS-SECTION

OF SERVICES SUBWAY

house on the south-west dock side and therefrom by a branch subway as well as by a number of other access points, which have removable covers and access ladders, located a t intervals around the dock. Openings, 6 feet by 3 feet, areprovided for the passage of long pipes for replacements or additions, and for the installation of welding transformers which are located inside the subway. The subway structure carries the dockside crane-track which is set almost flush with the finished concrete surfacing. Rubber expansion joints are provided a t four points in the length of the subway.

CRANE TRACKS
The crane tracks consist of 85 lb. flat-bottom revised-section twin rails 28 inches apart at the heads and riveted to a sole plate 16 inches wide. The gauge of the trackon both sides of the dock is 25 feet. Holding-down bolts Q inch in diameter were cast in the concrete in expanded metal bolt-boxes a t 3-foot-6-inch centres. The sole plates were drilled a t site and set, levelled, and packed with 3 inches of semi-dry whinDelivered by ICEVirtualLibrary.com to:
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stone concrete of 1 : 14 : 3 mix, Test cubes on this concrete reached a strength of 6,000 lb. per square incha t 7 days. The groove between the rails was filled with a cement-and-sand mortar and topped up with 4 inch of Pliastic and pointed up at the sides of the rail-head with l Asbestumen to prevent water penetrating to the underside of the rails.

CRANE COLLECTOR

TRENCH

All dockside travelling cranes are electrically operated from 440-volt

A.C. mains, and are supplied from an underground collector trench. A

continuous 2-inch-wide gap was formed for the passage of pick-up arms on the cranes. A cross-section of this trench is shown in Fig. 6 and, in view of its small dimensions and complexity, it was necessary to construct it in several stages as indicated. The top of the trench was designed for a 10ton wheel load from a mobile crane. Insulator bays are provided a t 20foot centres ; these are covered with galvanized-steel covers set-screwed to the frames. Provision is made a t the ends of the trenches for straining the copper conductor wires. The trenches are connected to the drainage system a t intervals.

DOCK ENTRANCE
The entrance is formed by a concrete pier on each side. On the east side it is embodied in the roundhead and was constructed in 1 : 8.25 concrete. On the west side it is embodied in the pump-house substructure and was partially reinforced. An access staircase tothe dock bottomhas been incorporated and the piers are designed to sustain adequately the pressure from the gate. The sill is 16 feet thick and is splayed on the river side to form an apron to the dock entrance, enabling the gate to be fully lowered below the sill level. A line of steel sheet-piling 30 feet long was driven under the sill as a cut off with a further line about 30 feet riverwards forming the edge of the apron. Both these lines were interlocked with the piling on both sides of the dock.

PUMP-HOUSE AND DRAINAGE

SUMP

The pump-house and drainage sump were constructed near the dock entrance on the south-west side, the pump-house being built immediately above the drainage sump. The former has interior dimensions of about Delivered ICEVirtualLibrary.com to: floor level of -11.00 30 feet by 6 inches with a general 54 feet 6 inches by 24 IP: 92.22.57.167
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O.U. and a sump floor level of -30.30 O.D. Plans and sections of the structure are shown in Fig. 7, Plate 2. The pump-house consists of a reinforced concrete box-structure tanked with asphalt, the walls generally being 2 feet and the floor 4 feet thick. The roof of the drainage sump was covered with asphalt on which the floor of the reinforced concrete box was then constructed. The side asphalt was applied to a 6-inch skin of concrete which was cast against the steel sheet-piling and anchored to it by welded fish-tail lugs. The reinforced concrete box was then completed inside the asphalt tanking. The pump-house is partially covered a t coping level where the gatewinch platform and transformer cell are located, but generally it is built above coping level and a glazed roof is provided on steel framing, which is arranged to be readily dismantled if it is necessary to replace a main pump or motor. The superstructure of the pump-house is embodied in the valve house and transformer cell and is designed as a comprehensive unit. The design of the pump-house structure calls for no special comment. It was assumed that hydrostatic pressure to mean tide level wouldbe present below the sump floor. The pump-house box structure was designed for water pressure up to H.W.O.S.T., which occurs when the dock is flooded, as well as for earth pressures on the walls. To provide for the condition of exceptionally high tides a continuous anchoring band of reinforced concrete was formed around the periphery of the walls at copmg level to develop the necessary resistance against uplift. This band was anchored t o the 6-inch concrete skin contiguous to the sheet-piling and by virtue of the lugs and the adhesion between the piling and the concrete it was assumed that the extraction resistance of the sheet-piling would be mobilized to the necessary extent. A switchgear gallery is included in the house a t a level of -2.00 O.D., accommodating both high-tension and low-tension switchgear for most of the dock. Access stairs are provided with an entrance a t the rear.

MAIN PUMPING AND ANCILLARY PLANT

There are two main dewatering electrically driven horizontal-spindle centrifugal pumps which, when operating jointly, are capable of dewatering the dock of 1% million cubic feet of water in 24 hours under the maximum head conditions. This condition assumes a medium-sized ship in the dock. The overall water quantity to H.W.O.S.T. is 2,100,000 cubic feet. There are also three 10-inch electrically operated pumps, one of which is used as a permanent drainage pump, one for ballasting shipsin dock, and the third can be used alternatively for dock drainage or for ballasting as may be required. Arrangements have also been made to use one of the ballast pumps for jetting silt off the apron by means of a 10-inch cast-iron Delivered by ICEVirtualLibrary.com header pipe with twenty l$-inch-diameter nozzles.to:
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DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF NO.

Particulars of pumps, motors, and other plant in the pump-house are given in Appendix I. When the scheme was originally planned the delivery time for sluice valves of the size required was more than 3 years. To overcome this delay the pump makers put forward a scheme for eliminating the use of sluice and reflux valves by the formation of an anti-siphonic system for each dewatering pump ; this scheme was ultimately embodied in the construction and has operated satisfactorily. The discharge from each main pump is taken into a reinforced concrete pipe 4 feet in diameter, which is constructed in the form of a siphon and surrounded by concrete ; it discharges into the river a t -24.50 O.D. The invert of the crest of each siphon is a t coping level ( + l 2 5 0 O.D.) and a hydraulically operated siphon-breaking valve is fixed a t the summit of each siphon pipe. The hydraulic pressure is obtained by a geared-type pump chain-driven from the shaft of each main dewatering pump. The operation of these pumps is such that when the main dewatering pump is started the hydraulic pump immediately begins to deliver oil a t pressure and closes its siphon-breaking valve located at the top of the siphon. When the dewatering pump is shut down the hydraulic pump stops and oil pressure is immediately relieved by an automatic valve releasing the pressure, the siphon-breaking valve opens, and thus prevents water from the river siphoning back into the dock. There are several points in favour of the anti-siphonic system :(l) The elimination of sluice and reflux valves reduces maintenance costs of the pumping machinery. (2) There is no need for stoplogs at the river end of the discharge pipes for the purpose of examining the valves on the outlet side. (3) The danger of waterhammer owing to unforeseen stoppages during the pumping period is eliminated. (4)The hydraulic resistance is reduced resulting in improved pumping efficiency. (5) A smaller advantage is that when the pump is switched off at the end of the pumping period there is a back-flow for a few moments which resultsina wash-back throughthe pump and suction piping. This clears any rubbish which might have lodged in the impeller or pump passages.

DEEP-WATER QUAY
The deep-water quay was designed for a depth of water of 25 feet belowL.W.O.S.T. and took the form of a cellular cofferdam which, in conjunction with the temporary archcofferdam, enabled the area between it and theexisting river bank to be filled in the dry. It consists,of a front line of Larssen No. Delivered 5 steel sheet-piling, 60 and 65to: feet long, with a back by ICEVirtualLibrary.com
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Scale: I inch:

l5 feet

-50 00

FIG.S.--.TYPICAL CROSS-SECTION

OF DEEP-WATER QUAY

line of No. 3 piling, 45 feet long, driven 30 feet distant from the river-face piling. It was divided into ten cells, each about 38 feet 6 inches long, by diaphragms also of Larssen No. 3 piling. Double-channel walings were fixed on both lines of piling and six 34-inch-diameter mild-steel tie-rods were equally spaced in each cell. A typical cross-section is shown in Fig. 8. A line of anchorage sheet-piling 7 feet long is provided and 24-inchdiameter tie-rods a t 5-foot-3-inch centres extend between the back line of piling and theanchorage about 30 feet distant. Where the dock-wall piling on the south-east side converges on the deep-water quay and the distance is reduced to less than 55 feet the anchorage piling is omitted and theback skin of the quay piling is tied direct to the dock-wall piling through a system of tie-rods and walings. The maximum stress in the front piling was estimated a t 1 0tons per square inch. All tie-rods, walings, and pileswere treated with two coats of acidfree tar and the rods bound in hessian and tarred in the usual manner. The cells were filledwith hardcore, shale, and clay from the dock excavation, and a clay and shale bank was tipped at the back for stability in the dewatering process. A wide concrete coping combining pipe and cable trenches is embodied, forming a horizontal stiffening beam which is supported on concrete buttresses seated on the top of sheet-piled diaphragms Delivered ICEVirtualLibrary.com on the riverward face. No by special form of impact to: absorbers was embodied
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in the fendering since it was considered that blows from ships would be readily absorbed by the mass of filling behind the piling.
GATE ENTRANCE

The Box or flap type of gate was adopted and itis considered to be the most economical of the various types for a dock of this size. It is believed to be the largest one of its kind in the world, although there are others underconstruction of greater dimensions. The overall length is 99 feet 2 inches, the depth 32 feet 8 inches, the width 7 feet, and in air it weighs about 190 tons. It is an entirely welded mild-steel cellular structure with solid plated decks and intercostal bulkheads forming separate flood and air chambers. The air chambers are so arranged as to minimize the pull on the operating rope at the lowest water level, flooding holes being provided on the outer skin of the plating of the flood chambers to allow them to be filled as they become submerged. The meeting face consists of 10-inch-by-7-inch greenheart bedded on a non-setting bituminous paste and bolted between two 4-inch-by-&-inch flats which are site-welded to the face of the gate. The greenheart is dressed to the same standard of accuracy as the quoin stones. I n addition an L-shaped rubber seal is attached by means of sherardized coach-screws and flats to the outer side of the greenheart. At both ends of the bottom of the gate a circular mild-steel trunnion is supported in a cast-iron bearing block set on the concrete. Mild-steel hinged plates are attached to the inner face of the gate to protect the meeting faces a t sill level ; during the operation of the gate the nose-ends of these plates slide on the sill concrete. The decking consists of 3-inch-thick oak planking bolted to the top deck of the gate to form a gangway across the dock. Galvanized steel hand-rail standards are provided on both sides of the gangway, the outer standards being fixed and the inner ones removable. Two steel stools filled with concrete support the gate when it is fully lowered. Two hand-operated sluices 21 inches square are fitted to the gate just above sill level for use in an emergency. The operating winch is electrically driven but has an emergency hand drive and is capable of exerting a pull of 30 tons on the rope. It is situated within the pump-house on the west side of the dock. The rope is inches in circumference, galvanized, and has a breaking load of 186 tons. It is reeved over fairleads and pulleys on the gate and anchored a t the opposite side of the entrance. The D.C. winch motor develops 65 brake horse-power a t a speed of 1,000 revolutions per minute, and was manufactured by Metropolitan Vickers Electrical Co. Ltd. The controller is of the cam type with crank operating handle and has six notches in Qachdirection. There is an electro-mechanical brake of the Delivered by ICEVirtualLibrary.com to:

i'+

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standard type with series-wound coil so connected as to be released when the current is supplied to the motor. The time for opening and closing the gate for high or low water conditions is between 3 and 4 minutes. Locking devices are provided on both sides of the gate. BOLLARDS AND
CAPSTANS

Cast-iron bollards are provided at about 75-foot centres on the landward side of the crane track. Two 74-ton electric capstans capable of sustaining this load a t a rate of 50 feet per minute are provided a t the dock head and two of 15-ton capacity are fixed at the entrance. HAND-RAILING Galvanized hand-rails and standards have been installed round the dock coping. All hand-railing is 1s-inchininternal diameter and fittings are Kee Klamp pattern supplied by Gascoigne & Co. Ltd. The standards are fitted in cast-iron sockets cast in the concrete and the railing is easily removable in sections, or separately if necessary. All junctions between tube and standard are torpedo-shaped, over which it was considered ships ropes would ride easily when docking. Hand-rails are also fitted t o the upper altars. KEEL BLOCKS There are 144 keel blocks spaced a t 4-foot-6-inch centres on the dock centre-line ; each consists of three cast-iron blocks 5 feet long by 2 feet wide at thebase, with a total height of 2 feet 9 inches. They are provided with two oak capping blocks 18 inches by 12 inches and 18 inches by 6 inches in section and with an 18-inch-by-3-inch softwood capping piece, the overall height being 4 feet 6 inches. The cast-iron blocks are bedded on 1%-inch-thick pitch-pine strips and each set of blocks is designed for a load of 125 tons. (SeeBig. 9, Plate 2.) The first fifty blocks from the dock entrance are fixed by cotters to the dock floor; the others have locating pins. Groups of four a t frequent intervals are tied together with a system of rolled-steel channel framing. Twenty-six additional sets of blocks are provided as bilge blocks and are set in position as required.
SHORES TELESCOPIC

It was decided that theuse of mild-steel tubular shores gave an advantage over the timber shores since they are easily adjustable in steps of one ICEVirtualLibrary.com to: ; twenty-four ranging from 12 to 20 feet foot to suit ships ofDelivered varying by beam
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BURNS ON THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF NO.

in length and twenty-four from 20 feet to 30 feet in length were supplied

by Tubewrights Ltd. LIFT AND
TOWER

In view of the difference in heightof 48 feet between the workshop area, that is, the platers shed, etc., and the dock coping it was decided to install a lift capable of carrying a load of passengers and goods up to 30 cwt between the bottom of the dock and the workshop area, with an intermediate stop a t dock coping level. The lift shaft is 13 feet 10 inches by 9 feet 1 inch in plan, and is constructed in reinforced concrete ; the walls being 7 inches thick with Vshapedhorizontaljoints a t each lift. The motor-room floor is a t +7245 O.D. with a flat roof a t 3-81.50 O.D. Electrical and mechanical safeguards are used to prevent the travel of the cage below coping level when there is water in the dock. Precast concrete grid windows form an architectural feature on the dock face and an electric clock and neon sign are fitted near the top. A prestressed concrete footbridge of 70-foot span is provided a t +60-00 O.D. between the tower and the top of the bank. It is G feet wide and consists of three I-section beams each 2 feet wide and 2 feet 6 inches deep with 4-inch-thick webs. Each beam was delivered in two sections, assembled on tubular steel scaffolding, and stressed with three Freysinnet cables. The deck was surfaced with asphalt. BOILERHOUSE
AND OIL-TANK COMPOUND

The boiler house supplies steam to ships auxiliaries and for the cleaning of ships tanks. The dimensions of the structure are 57 feet 9 inches by 34 feet by 28 feet to the underside of the roof slab and it is constructed as a reinforced concrete frame clad with facing brick and sand-lime brick to the interior. The columns and roof beams were precast on site and the roof slab was cast in situ. The building is designea for the installation of a second boiler ; this was catered for by arranging the framing on the dock face with a structural opening 20 feet high and 42 feet wide, filled with patent glazing and dwarf brickwork which can readily be removed and replaced when the operation is carried out. Three oil tanks each of 128 tons capacity are provided within a compound alongside the boiler house. The compound wallis of reinforced concrete 9 feet high to contain the full capacity of the tanks in the event of a burst.

CRANAGE
The dock is provided with three electric travelling portal-type dockside cranes, two on the east side and one on the west. to: Delivered by ICEVirtualLibrary.com
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Delivered by ICEVirtualLibrary.com to: IP: 92.22.57.167 On: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 20:25:41

FIQ.l'I.-INSIDE OF ARCH DAM AFTER DEWATERIN(I Delivered by ICEVirtualLibrary.com to:

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FIG. IR.-GATE

ASSEMBLED READY

FOR STEPPISO

l t

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I
FIG.1I.-DOcK ON OPESING DAY Delivered by ICEVirtualLibrary.com to: IP: 92.22.57.167 On: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 20:25:41

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These cranes travel the full length of the dock on 25-foot-gauge twin rails and electricity a t 440 volts A.C., 50 cycles, 3-phase, is supplied by pick-up arms from conductor wires in an underground trench. Details of the cranes are given in Appendix 11.

MOORINGDOLPHIN
For the effective mooring of ships alongside the deep-water quay itwas necessary to construct a dolphin beyond the boundary of Smiths Dock Co. The Tyne Improvement Commission gave consent tothe dolphin being constructed within an existing timber jetty. The dolphin consists of thirteen reinforced concrete piles 15 inches square, 45 and 55 feet long, driven to a rake of 1 : 4-5, with an average penetration of 25 feet into the river-bed. The piles are embedded in areinforced concrete cap 2 feet 6 inches thick and 13 feet square with a cast-iron bollard in the centre. Access to this dolphin can be obtained direct from Smiths Dock Co.s yard bya @foot steel footbridge from the west roundhead, with a staircase to L.W.O.S.T. for the use of launches.
SHED PLATERS

A new steel-framed single-span shed 225 feet long by 87 feet wide and 30 feet 6 inches to tie level was built at the top of the bankfor the execution of plate and frame members in ship-repair work. It is equipped with a 5-ton electric overhead travelling crane, punches, shears, plate bending and straightening rolls, and flame-cutting profile machine, etc. The prepared units are transportedtothe dockside by means of a Scammel and trailer.
ACCOMMODATION LAVATORY

Two blocks of lavatories were provided for the use of the workmen and for the officers and crews of the ships in dock. LIGHTING General lighting is provided by 500-watt lamps fitted with dispersive reflectors spaced a t about 100-foot centres aroundthe dock, mounted on prestressed concrete columns approximately 25 feet high. In addition, three tubular-steel lighting standards about 45 feet high, each fitted with two 1,500-watt floodlights are provided ; one is on the west side at the entrance and one at each side of the dock. At the head of the dock two similar lights are mounted on the lift tower, also 45 feet above Delivered by ICEVirtualLibrary.com to: coping level.
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BURNS ON THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF NO.

Lighting for work on ships plating is provided by lamps as required hung from the dockside ; these are fed from points in the services subway.

Construction
The contractor commenced work on the diversion of the Tyne Improvement Commissioners road to Albert Edward Dock and the public road to Robson Millers saw mills, and their respective services, inthe early months of 1950. At thesame time a start was made with the bulk excavation necessary to reduce the ground to coping level of the dock. A 34cubic-yardLimaexcavatorwith face shovel was used, together with a fleet of aboutten Poden 9-cubic-yard ,road wagons totransportthe excavated material to the tipping areas, which had been made available by the Tyne Improvement Commission and the local authority. The contractors programme envisaged the use of an arch-type cofferdam at the entrance for dewatering the area beyond the existing river bank. For itsabutments on the east side they proposed to use the roundhead backed by the entrance pier and on the west side the pumphouse. This necessitated thesubstantial completion of these two units intheir respective cofferdams within the first year of construction i n order to fulfil the programme.

PUMP-HOUSE COFFERDAM
Work on the pump-house cofferdam commenced a t the end of April 1951 although some preparatory work on the removal of old structures had previously been executed, but the Rtart of the work was delayed by the late delivery of sheet-piling. This cofferdam was about 90 feet average length by 50 feet wide with one oblique face and was constructed in Larssen No. 3 sheet-piling 55 feet long, with three steel frames fabricated from Larssen No. 3 box-piles. The frames were welded in sections at the fabricators yard and assembled at the site as excavation proceeded within the dam and werefixed a t -2.0, -13.0, and -26.0 feet 0.D. Some of the sheet-piles on the north and west faces of the dam met obstructions in the form of boulders and could not be fully driven. As excavation proceeded the damaged portions of the pileswere cut out, extensions welded on where necessary, and the piles driven on to below formation level. It was not, however, foundpracticable to drive these piles to their intended penetration and it was fortunate that they were toed into stiff clay. The piling on the east or river side was driven satisfactorily apart from a few piles. When excavation had almost reached formation level a blow occurred under the east-side piling while a sump was being formed. This was satisfactorily sealedDelivered but another took place very soon by ICEVirtualLibrary.com to: afterwards. Further
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work was stopped while a series of core borings, supplemented by a number of wash borings, was put down. These revealed the presence of a fairly extensive sand pocket varying in depth to a maximum of 11 feet, the top of which ranged between -35 and -40 feet O.D. This was not revealed by boring No. 1 which appeared to be just on the edge of the pocket. These events had already caused some delay and it was evident that further delay would occur in endeavouring to seal the cofferdam.Since the arch dam could not become effective until the pump-house was substantially complete it was considered that its construction in any independent cofferdam should be temporarily abandoned and alternative means adopted to enable the construction of the arch dam to proceed at the earliest opportunity with the use of an alternative abutment. It would then seem possible for the whole site to be dewatered and the pump-house constructed without further trouble from blows. After the arch-dam cofferdam became effectivein May 1953 the work on the pump-house recommenced and proceeded without further interruption or undue difficulty. TEMPORARY ABUTMENT
TO ARCH DAM

Since the arch-rib frames for the dam had already been fabricated, i t was decided to construct a temporaryabutment on the west sideprojecting about 9 feet beyond the west roundhead piling and about 12 feet riverwards of its original position. This did not involve any alterations to the frames because the dam was virtually pivoted about the east abutment which was already substantially completed. After consideration and discussion with the contractors the design shown in Fig. 10, Plate 2, was adopted. I n order to sustain adequately the thrust from the arch ribs it was necessary to form the temporary abutment partly inside and partly outside the permanent west roundhead piling. Two small c,offerdams were, therefore, formed of Appleby-Frodingham No. 4 piling 67 feet long, complete with four steel frames built up of broadflange beams welded together.Excavation was carried down to -32.0 O.D. in the outer one and -40.0 O.D. in the landward cofferdam and they were filled with mass concrete. Arrangements were made in the outer cofferdam for an 18-inch-squarevertical hole to be formed with 44-inch-diameter horizontal and radial cardboard tubes inserted a t vertical intervals of 3 feet to facilitate the demolition of this section upon completion of the work. The landward cofferdam of the,abutment was embodied in the permanent work. The total estimated thrust from the arch was about 1,650 tons and it was considered reasonable to assume that two-thirds of this would be Delivered by ICEVirtualLibrary.com taken by the firm clay in the lower portion of theto: temporary abutment.
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BURNS ON THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION O F NO.

To transmit safely the remainder of the thrust a 4-foot-square horizontal strut reinforced with old rails and thenecessary bindings was constructed. The load was spread to the ground by a12-foot-square concrete pad backed by Larssen No. 2 piles 18 feet long, driven into the boulder clay. The concrete strut was cast and in aspace in the inner cell wereinserted hydraulic jacks developing a pressure of200 tons, thereby prestressing the ground and the strut. Since no appreciable movement occurred the gap in the strut was concreted and the jacks removed.

EASTENTRANCE

PIER AND ROUNDHEAD

While the difficulties with the pump-house cofferdam were being encountered work proceeded on the cofferdam for the east entrance pier which was about 61 feet long by 27 feet wide, as well as on the adjoining roundhead cofferdam. They were constructed in Larssen No. 3 sheetpiling with three prefabricated frames formed of broad-flange-beam sections andset a t levels of 3.200, -10.0 and -21.0 O.D., enabling excavation to be carried down to foundation level of -33.0 O.D. Dewatering and excavation proceeded in the normal way and no difficulties were encountered, the bottom being very firm boulder clay and quite dry. The concrete was brought, in lifts of about 3 feet, up to Ordnance Datum level, that is, the level of the bottom of the services subway, which provided sufficient weight to sustain safely the reaction from the arch dam.

AncE

COFFERDAM

As previously mentioned an archcofferdam, designed by thecontractor, was constructed round the dock entrance and piling was commenced in November 1952. The distance between the tangentpoints on the east and of 61 feet 7 inches. west abutments was about 111feet with a radius At each abutment averticaldistributingplate girder 51 inches by 8 inches by 30 feet was provided, into which four circular latticed arch frames junctioned a t -1.0,-11.5,-19.5, and -25-0 O.D. Each frame was about 5 feet wide and was fabricated from 10-inch-by-3-inch rolledsteel channels plated on the outer circular chord with similar section Warren bracing members. (See Big. 17, between pp. 370 and 371.) Vertical bracing was provided between the second and fourth frames to which lacings connected the other frames. The four steel frames were assembled above L.W.O.S.T. on temporary gabbards against which the sheet-piles were pitched and partially driven. (See Fig. 11.) Later, by an ingenious system of jacks the frames were lowered as a unit to theirfinal levels. The pile driving then recommenced with No. 9 B.3 McKiernan-Terry hammers to full penetration or refusal. Delivered by ICEVirtualLibrary.com to: In all, 113 Appleby-Frodingham No. 4 steel sheet-piles, 67 feet long,
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Scale:

inch

.W.O.S.T: - 7 08 All internal member! I 0 " x 3 " x 19.28 lb. C',

l l .so
Space between waling and piling tilled with concrete Outer chords (circular) I0"x 3 f x 24.46 lb. C ' s with two 12"xgplater

Inner chords (straight between pant points) I0"x 8"x 55 lb. R.S.J's

19.50

15.00

Appleby-Frodingham No. 4 section piling

-29.50

__c Piles cut

off

Precast concrete blo forming arch ribs

In-situ concrete packing

'M

level: -55.00

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370

BURNS ON THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

OF NO.

were t o be driven on the outside of the arch frames with their tops at +l2.0 0.D. and toes reaching -55-0 O.D., that is, 23 feet 6 inches below dredged level. Unfortunately, some of the piles struck obstructions and fourteen refused when more than 3 feet from full penetration ; four of these were about 10 feet above projected toe level. The contractor did not consider it safe to attempt to dewater under these conditions and decided to form a concrete curtain in the gaps where the toes of the piles were standing high. This was done by the drilling of forty-five S-inch-diameter holes with a Bucyrus 22 W " Churn " drill into the river-bed and through the obstructions to the projected toe level of -55.0 O.D. These holes were drilled " cheek by jowl " so that the faces of adjoining ones were in contact and, when filled with concrete, formed a complete curtain across the areas. The operation was carefully planned and executed but progress was necessarily slow and ittook about 10 weeks to complete this work. Furthermore,the contractor considered it essential to provide an additional arch rib a t dredged level ; this was achieved by means of precast concrete segments about 5 feet by 2 feet by l1 feet long, set in a prepared trench and jointed together with Ciment Fondu sections about 2 feet 6 inches wide. The top of this rib was placed a t dredged level so that it was not necessary to remove it on completion of the work. The operation of excavating the trench was carried out on neap tides and on the following spring tides on the 2nd May, 1953 ; dewatering of the area bypumps mounted on pontoons was commenced and carried through with complete success. The dam was exceptionally watertight throughout the whole period of its use. After the gate had been stepped on the 27th March, 1954, and tested, demolition of the dam was commenced. The sheet-piles were burned off under water a t dredged level and the steel frames were then dismantled.
SUBWAY AND

ANCLORAGE

After the bulk excavation had been largely completed to a level of +2.0 O.D. behind the river bank, the construction of the services subway and concrete anchorage for the dock-wall piling wascommenced. The sequence of this work was rather unusual inasmuch as the subway was constructed before the sheet-piles were driven. The clay was handtrimmed to a vertical face so that it acted as shuttering. In one section this face, about 10feet high, stood for several months without any sign of disintegration, apart from some crazing of the face owing to surface shrinkage. The procedure adopted by the contractor was to drill 4-inch-diameter holes in the boulder clay from the back face of the subway to the massconcrete anchorage about 18 feet away by means of an Appleyard boring to: it drilled a neat hole machine which wasDelivered found to by beICEVirtualLibrary.com a very useful tool since
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and penetrated the sandstone boulders withoutunduetrouble. On the few occasions when a whinstone boulder was encountered a new hole, was drilled. The 2i-inch-diameter tie-rods were then inserted, washer plates, etc., were$ fixed, and thesubway was cast in thelifts shown in Fig. 5, p. 362. A txavelling internal shutter36 feet long, subsequently extendedto 48 feet, was used after thefloor had been cast and the outside shuttaring was built up in panels of a similar length. Since the dock-wall piling had not been driven a t this stage a construction joint was formed in the vertical plane of the coping so that after the piles were driven the two altars could be cast, securing the tap of the piles. Adequate joggles were formed and reinforcement left projecting until the latter aperatian cauld be executed. Excauatian for the anchorage trench was carried out by a 20. R.B. excavator with a baokacter bucket, concurrently with the subway construction. The clay was so firm that no timbering was required apart from a nominal top frame a t someplaces. It was found that drilling operations had been carried out satisfactorily since very few tie-rods were found out of position when this trench was finally bottcrmed-up by hand. Washer plates were fixed and the trench was concreted in two lifts to the underside of the crane-t,rack fornlation.
D O C K WALLS

As soon as an adequate length of subway and anchorage had been built, work began on the dock-wall piling. (See Fig. 15, facing p. 370.) The contractor erected onc 70-foot and one 55-foot pile frame on the subway roof and with a gate at about +3*0 O.D. pitched and drove the steel piles with a No. 10 B.3 double-acting hammer. Later, some driving was carried out with a 4-ton drop hammer and a 5-ton single-acting hammer. Driving resistance was very hard and it beeame obvious bhat the piles were being distmpted. Eqdorations were made and revealed that serious distartion had taken place owing to the presence of many whinstone bouIders. The form and extent of the damage varied according to where the pile hi$ the boulder ; one boulder sometimes affected several piles. Since the driving was generalip hard, it was not possible to detect when an obstruction was encountered and consequently the distortiolr became extensive before it was noticed. 16 shoald be noted that the anticipated sandsbone,boulders gave Iittle trouble for the piles split them ; almost the whde difficnlty arose though the incidence of wbinsto.ne boulders in large numbers, none of which was disclosed by any of the borings. At this stage piling to an approximate length of 200 feet had been paptly driven on the wesh side. After discussion with the contractox, it was decided that it would be necessary to excavate a trench a b m t 7 by ICEVirtualLibrary.com to: feet 6 inches wide onDelivered the dockside down to the underside of the dock fioaa
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BURNS ON THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF NO.

and in contact with the piling, so that excavation and driving could be carried out in stages of about 5-foot depths. By this method the piles were lightly driven and toed in, excavation followed, and any boulders in thepath of the piles were removed. This procedure was followed throughout and was slow because the trench excavation was hand-dug with pneumatic clay spades and thetrenches and piling had tobe strutted, but by thismethod damage to the piling was almost entirely eliminated. In the case of the fist 200-foot length or so, very extensive repairs to the piling were necessary and the decision as to how and what to do was often very difficult but it is to the credit of both the contractors Agent and the Resident Engineer that a very satisfactory jobwas achieved. The one good feature which assisted this work was that no water was present. When the piles had been fully driven a section of the dock floor 7 feet 6 inches wide and about5 feet 6 inches high was cast in trench against the piling to augment the passive resistance. It was also realized that this would materially assist the method of excavation of the dumpling between the walls which closely followed the piling. The removal of the boulders under the piles and the distorted piles left cavities in the clay which were filled with concrete so far as possible but there were others which could not be readily filled. It was, therefore, decided to grout these cavities and l&-inch-diameter holes were drilled and tapped with l-inch B.S.P. thread in alternate piles and in three rows vertically and colloidal grout (1: 2g mix) was pumped in. It is not possible to say that all cavities were filled but about 26 tons of cement and 66 cubic yards of sand were used for this purpose.

DOCK FLOOR
The excavation of the dumpling was carried out by a O&~bic-yard Lima dragline with the formation trimmed by a 20 R.B. shovel. Digging was carried out for the full width of the dock and concreting of the floor immediately followed the preparation of the formation. Mechanical excavation for the full width was made possible by the concrete already placed in trench against the piling. The formation was practically dry in the area behind the existing river bank and only one small pump was used periodically for disposing of surface water. The floor was divided into three lines of blocks with staggered joints as shown in Big. 4, Plate 2. The blocks were cast in chequer-board pattern with the formation of a shrinkage channel between the centre and side blocks. This channel was 6 feet 9 inches wide and 2 feet 9 inches deep and was concreted 28 days afterthe contiguous blocks. It was anticipated that some shrinkage would be evident in the joints below the shrinkage channel, which would be grouted, but no Delivered such sign became apparent. This by ICEVirtualLibrary.com to: is largely attributed
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to the relatively dry mix (0- to l-inch slump) used and to the thorough consolidation by vibration and treading. The side blocks were cast in two lifts, the second being poured on the day following the fist. They have two joggled joints in their full depth of between 7 and 10 feet and 50 per cent of the face was scabbled before casting theadjacent block. The joints were run in a t floor level witha hot bituminous material 2 inches deep. Nearly two-thirds of the floor was cast behind the clay barrier formed by theold river bank but the remainder could not be excavated until after May 1953 when the arch dam was capable of taking its full load, enabling the area riverwards of the old bank to be dewatered. When this stage had been reached the same procedure was employed to complete the remainder of the floor and the sill, which was cast in the sections shown in Pig. 4, Plate 2. Into this area river water, which seeped through the clutches of the deep-water-quay piling andthearchdam, was collected in a sump formed in the dock floor and ultimately pumped back. The seepage from about 24,000 square feet of piling was adequately dealt with by two 6-inch centrifugal sinking pumps. The seepage varied considerably depending upon the state of the tide.

SILLAND

QUOIN STONES

The sill and quoin stones (see Pig. 12) were precast and made of a high-grade concrete by the Empire Stone Co. with a 2-inch-thick granolithic meeting face 13 inches wide. Care was taken to see that they were true on the bedding and meeting faces and they were given a preliminary dressing in the contractors stonemasons yard before delivery to the site. The sill stones were very carefully levelled and fully bedded on 2 : 1 Ironite cement-mortar bed not more than $inch thick on aprepared concrete face on the sill without lead packs. Each sill stone was held down by twol-inch-diameter galvanized bolts set in the sill concrete, cored holes being provided in the stones which were ultimately grouted. The quoin stones were similarly built and bedded and backed with.good quality concrete. All stones were aligned as accuratelyas possible by means of piano wires stretched across the sill and from sill to coping (Fig. 16, between pp. 370 and 371). They were finally rubbed down with carborundum where necessary to an accuracy of ten-thousandths of an inch measured on a 6-foot straight-edge throughout the whole meeting face. Only a comparatively small amount of rubbing was necessary which reflected great credit on the contractors staff for the skill and accuracy employed in setting the stones, which was efficiently organized and completed within 6 weeks.

25

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BURNS ON THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF NO.

4 " x 4 charnler-

Meeting lace--

\
\

Box rype gate shown by broken h-- -

L
Backmg concrete cast as sectm of quofn stones proceeds .
s d t . mch- l foot

L''

- 3 -6 ----

ELEVATION ATJUNCTION OF SILL A N D Q U O I N

Llneof recess formed tnentrancc p e r

Gnnolnhlc face
Rece9.1for I'.dia. hdding-dawn bolts grouted after SLOnes are set

slte-welded CO gate

PLAN O F SILL STONES

SECTIONTHRO Q U U G O H IN

FIG.~~.-DSTMLS OF

SILL AND QUOIN STONES

DEEP-WATER QUAY The conshuction of this section of the work commenced in ApriI 1951, and DO di&cnbs arose with the driving of the sheet-piling, which was carried out by a No. 9 B.3 double-acting hammer operating from a 10-ton derrick crane. After fixing walings and tie-rods the Delivered by ICEVirtualLibrary.com to: cells were filled with
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shale, some hardcore, and clay to a level of +3*5 O.D. (See Pig. 14, facing p. 370.) Clay and shale hacking was deposited by means of skips and bytipping over the back row of piles from a lorry running on the deposited filling in the cells. Rubbledrains were formed inthe cellfilling a t -8-0 O.D. and holes were cut in the back rowof piling to enable the water to be drained out rapidly when dewatering the area behind the dam. On the 2nd May, 1953, the arch dam was completed and dewatering took place in easy stages during a period of a few days in order to study the effect of the load on the cellular structure. The resulting deflexion of the front and back lines of piling in relation to dewatering levels is shown in Pig. 13. In view of this deflexion it was decided to tip furthershale a t the back before fully dewatering the area. After this-tipping no further appreciable deflexion occurred on the inner line of piling but the outer line continued to deflect until the completion of dewatering. Clay from the dock excavation was tipped and thoroughly consolidated by loaded 9-cubic-yard tipping wagons, bulldozers, and rollers up to tie-rod level. The landward tie-rods and anchorages were then placed and tipping proceeded to completion as and when possible in relation to work on the south-east dock wall which was directly tied tothe deep-water quay near the east roundhead. In view of the probability of some settlement on this reclaimed area no permanent surfacing was laid ;it was dressed with 9 inches of shale with tar-sprayed chippings on the surface.

ENTRANCE GATE
The gate was delivered to the siteinfourteen sections which were assembled and site-welded on blocks placed on the dock floor. (See Fig. 18, between pp. 370 and 371.) The whole of the external face steelwork was flame-cleaned and while the plating was still hot was given a coat of primer and one coat of bituminous enamel. The inside faces were given two coatsof Camrex grease paint. The operation of setting the blocks, handling the sections, assembling, welding, testing air tanks and flooding tanks, fixing and dressing the greenOn the 27th heart,and painting was carried out in about 13 weeks. March, 1954, the dock was flooded to a depth of about 10 feet over the sill, the gate was floated and manceuvred into position landwards of the arch dam, andsuccessfully stepped. All the manceuvring was carried out byhand ropes and thefinal raising of the gate was effected by the operating winch. The whole operation was executed smoothly and efficiently and it is clear that the facility with which gates of this type can be handled is a great advantage from a mainDelivered by ICEVirtualLibrary.com to: tenance aspect.
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BURNS ON THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF NO.

Top of pile: 10.00 Deflexion measured at

+&so Level of final fill _----__--Deflexion measured at +4.00

DIAGRAMMAT!C SKETCH OF QUAY

Cell No. 1 0

River Tyne

KEY PLAN OF D E E P - W A T E R Q U A Y

FIG.13.-DEFLEXIONINDelivered DEEP-WATER QUAY PILING I N RELATION by ICEVirtualLibrary.com to:

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LEVELS

TO DEWATERING

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CONCRETE, MIXING, AND DISTRIBUTION PLANT

Generally two classes of concrete were used :Class B Reinforced concrete work 1 : 5.5 parts by weight of $inch aggregate and generally. sand. Specified strength requirements were 2,000 lb. per square inch a t 7 days and 3,000 lb. per square inch a t 28 days. Class C Dock floor and mass work 1 : 8.25 parts by weight of 2-inch aggregate generally. and sand. Specified strength requirements were 1,500 lb. per square inch a t 7 days and 2,250 lb. per square inch a t 28 days. Ordinary Portland cement was used almost throughout the work. Aggregates in the locality are generally poor and inconsistent in quality and owing to the irregular quantities required during a relatively long period they had tobe obtained from various sources which made accurate grading impossible. Difficulties occurred a t times in securing the specified strengths, which were by no means high. Test cube failures a t 7 and 28 days occurred but itwas found that cube strengths considerably improved with age and the few tests which were made a t 3 months showed satisfactory increases in strength. The bulk of the concrete was mixed by a central mixing plant located on the high ground at the head of the dock. It consisted of a l-cubic-yard Blaw Knox mixer with weigh-batcher equipment and. storage hoppers above. A boom-scraper fed the aggregates in the stock bin to a bucket clcvator which discharged into the storage hoppers. A subsidiary plant was situated near the pump-house ; it consisted of two Blaw Knox Janior weigh-batchers each with a Rex 105 mixer. Distribution of the concrete was carried out almost entirely by lorries carrying l-cubic-yard skips which were lowered into position by derricks and mobile cranes operating from coping level. Pumping of the concrete was attempted but was not found satisfactory for the class C concrete. This was attributed to the low slump requirements and also to pumping down the steep slope.

PLANT
A list of the principal plant used by thecontractor is given in Appendix

IV. LABOUR
The maximum number of men employed on the site was about 300, Delivered by ICEVirtualLibrary.com to: supplemented by sub-contractors men from time to time.
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MATERIALS

The approximate quantities were as follow:: :-Excavated material . . . . . Filled material . . . . . . Concrete . . . . . . . . Steel sheet-piling (permanent) . . Steel sheet-piling (temporary) . . Mild-steel reinforcing bars . . . High-tensile-steel reinforcing bars . Structural steelwork . . . . TIME The difficulties mentioned extended the constructional period by about twelve months beyond the contract period of 30 months, although additional work was completed within this time which was not in the contractors original contract, such as the platers shed and surrounding paved areas, the lift shaft, boiler house, etc.
COST

The total cost of the whole project was about f1,250,000. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Author is indebted to Smiths Dock Co. Ltd for permission to present this Paper. Holloway Bros (London) Ltd were the contractors for the main civil engineering work ; Mr B. I. Palmer, B.Sc., M.I.C.E., being Director in charge of the work with Mr Robert Mitchell, B.Sc., A.M.I.C.E., acting as their Site Agent. Mr A. Storrar, B.Sc., A.M.I.C.E., was the Resident Engineer acting for the Authors firm, T. F. Burns & Partners, who were responsible for the project. Mr E. A. Parsons was the resident partner in the firms Newcastle-uponTyne office and to him the Author would express his thanks for assistance given in the preparation of this Paper. The Paper, which wasreceivedon 1st November, 1954, is acconpanied by eight photographs and ten sheets of drawings from which the half-tone page plates, the Figures in the text and folding Plates 1 and 2 have been prepared, and by following Appendices. Delivered bythe ICEVirtualLibrary.com to:
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APPENDIX I
PUMP-HOUSE PLANT SUPPLIED B Y DRYSDALE & 00. LTD

Two 4 2 / 3 9 horizontal-spindle split-casing pumps each directly coupled and driven by 400-h.p., 420 r.p.m.,5,500 v., 3-phase, 50-cycle, slip-ring motors with liquidsterters. These two pumps, when operating together, are capable of emptying the dock of 1% million cubic feet of water in 29 hours with a maximum head at the end of the dematering period of 31.25 feet. One lOjl0 Upright drainagepump completewith57&-h.p.,1,470r.p.m., 440 v . , 3-phase, 50-cycle, squirrel-cage motor and starter; and two similar pumps, one for ballast, and one for ballast and drainage. Each unit is capable of delivering 2,000 g.p.m. against a total head from all causes of 67 feet or 2,500 g.p.m. against a total head of 60 feet. Themotorsare of the vertical-spindle type mounted on top of the pumps and together form self-contained units. One 6/6 Aquair rotary exhauster pump complete with 30-h.p., 577 r.p.m., 440 v., 3-phase, 50-cycle, squirrel-cage motor and starter. This pump is capable of handling 500 cubic feet per minute from 22 inches of vacuum and primes both the main dewatering pumps and also the drainage and ballast pumps. Two 1v/lY Horzoil pumps each chain-driven from the main dewatering pump, complete with oil tank and necessary inter-connecting piping and thesiphon breaking hydraulically operated valves at the top of each siphon. These are capable of delivering 59 gallons of lubricating oil per minute a t a pressure of 50 lb. per sq. in., absorb less than 1 h.p. and run a t 1,000 r.p.m. & Baird Pneumercator type indicating the Depth Gauge-Kelvin Bottomley depth of water in the dock.

APPENDIX I1
DOCKSIDE CRANES SUPPLIED BY STOTHERT

&

PITT, LTD

East side of dock

30-TON ELECTRIC TRAVELLING LEVEL LUFFINO PORTAL CRANE

Main hoist : 30 tons a t 85 feet maximum radius ; 40 feet minimum radius. Auxiliary hoist : 10 tons a t 135 feet maximum radius ; 60 feet minimum radius. Height of lift above coping : main h o i s t 4 5 feet. auxiliary h o i s t 8 0 feet. Main hoist : 45 h.p. 30 tons a t 15 f.p.m. 15 , , 30 ,, Auxiliary hoist : 45 h.p. 10 tons a t 45 f.p.m. 5 ,, 90 1, Luffing : 30 h.p. ; GO f.p.m. Slewing : 25 h.p. ; 4 r.p.m. Travel : two 15 h.p. ; 40 f.p.m. Gauge of track : 25 feet. No. of wheels : 16.
5-TON ELECTRIC TRAVELLING LEVEL LUFFINQ PORTAL CRANE

Hoist : 6 tons a t 85 feet maximum radius ; 30 feet minimum radius. Height of lift above coping : 80 feet. Hoist : 45 h.p. ; 5 tons a t 90 f.p.m. 29 1 , 180 Luffing : 74 h.p. ; 70 f.p.m. Slewing : 129 h.p., 1 r.p.m. Travel : two 6 h.p. ; 50 f.p.m. Gauge of track : 25 feet. No. of wheels : 8. Delivered by ICEVirtualLibrary.com to: IP: 92.22.57.167 On: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 20:25:41
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West side of dock

&TON ELECTRIC TRAVELLINQ PORTAL CRANE Hoist : 5 tons a t 40 feet ; 23 tons a t 55 feet ; 21 feet minimum radius. Height of lift above coping : 40 feet a t maximum radius. Hoist : 55 h.p. ; 5 tons a t 120 f.p.m. 24 ,, 240 ,, Lu&g : 15h.p. ;50 f.p.m. Slewing : 124 h.p. ; 2 r.p.m. Travel : two 5 h.D.. 67 f.D.m. Gauge of track : $5 feet.L No. of wheels : 4.

Power supply 440 volts, 3-phase, A.C. obtained from three bare copper conductors enclosed in collector trench and picked up by means of a swinging travelling shoe.

APPENDIX I11
SCHEDULE OF SERVICES I N DOCK SUBWAY

West side 4-inch-diameter steam. 4-inch-diameter compressed air. 14-inch ballast water (river water). 440-volt 3-phaseA.C. for ships' power. 110-volt single-phase A.C. for temporary lighting, ships, or dock lighting. 440-volt 3-phase A.C. for A.C. welding or for supplying motor generators for D.C. welding.

East side
6-inch-diameter compressed air. 6-inch-diameter fresh'water (town supply). 110-volt single-phaseA.C. for temporary lighting, ships, or docklighting. 440-volt 3-phase A.C. for A.C. welding or for supplying motor generators for D.C. welding. 110-volt D.C. supply for ships. 220-volt D.C. supply for ships.

APPENDIX IV
PRINCIPAL PLANT USED BY CONTRACTOR

Cranes 7-ton 10-ton , , 5-ton , , 6-ton mobile crane &ton crane ,, steam-loco 3-ton , ,

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Excavators Limaexcavatorwith3i-cubic yard shovel. Laterwith2g-cubic-yard dragline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 R.B. dragline 20 R.B. backacter and draglineby ICEVirtualLibrary.com . . . . . . to: . . . . . Delivered IP: 92.22.57.167 On: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 20:25:41

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Transport
up 9-cubic-yard Foden wagons lorries Tipping capacity to &ton Muirhill dumper . . . Bulldozer D.8 . . . . Bulldozer D.4 . . . .

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Concreting plant Blaw Knox l-cubic-yardbatcher Blaw Knox Junior weigh-batchers

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Piling plant 70 feet raking pile frame . . . . . with 15-foot extension 40 feet ,, McKiernan Terry D.A. hammer No. 7 . Terry McKiernan , , ,, N o . 9 B . 3 McKiernan Terry , , hammers No. 10 B.3 Pile extractor Zenith No. 80 . . . .

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Pumps 12-inch Centrifugal electric (for dewatering) 10-inch ,, Diesel (for dewatering) &inch ,, electric . . . . 5-inch , , . . . .
Miscellaneous Welding transformers . . . . . . Welding generator . . . . . . . Air-compressor : 300 cubic feet per minute 10-ton Diesel roller . . . . . . . Appleyard boring rig . . . . . .

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APPENDIX V
SUB-CONTRACTORS

Principal sub-contractors and others employed on the work were :Entrance gate and filling valve . . Sir William A L T O ~ & Co. Ltd. Pumpingequipment . . . . . Drysdale & Co. Ltd. Sheet-piling . . . . . . . British Steel Piling Co. United Steel dam) Co. Ltd. Do. (arch Cranes (dockside) . . . . . . Stothert & Pitt, Ltd. . . . . Clarlre, Chapman & Co. Ltd. Capstans . . . Platersshedsteelwork . . . . Cargo Fleet Iron Co. Ltd. Keel blocks . . . . . . . Pease and Partners. . . . . . Quoin and sill stones The Empire Stone Co. Ltd. In-situ piling . . . . . . . Holmpress Piles, Ltd. . . . . . Keighley Lifts, Ltd. Liftandmachinery Site investigation . . . . . . Soil Mechanics, Ltd. Services . . . . . . . . Smiths Dock Co. Ltd.

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Discussion
The Chairman said that the Authors slides had given some idea of the conditions on the sit.e and the problems met with in.demolishing existing Delivered by ICEVirtualLibrary.com works although repairs t o ships had still to go on. to: The design had many
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