Poster: State Pier Offshore Wind Port Infrastructure Improvements, New London, CT

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Many U.S. ports currently struggle to meet the needs of the growing offshore wind industry. This project involves upgrading the existing state pier complex in New London, CT into a 16-acre, heavy-lift-capable marshaling port that can accommodate all components of offshore wind farms. 

Geotechnical Challenges

• Project required filling between two existing piers with approximately 400,000 cubic-yards of fill required. 
• Fill needed to be placed through 40 feet of water and then densified to meet high bearing pressure requirements for offshore wind components.
• Very soft organic sediment needed to remain in place. Filling could not displace or "mud wave" the organic sediment into the Thames River. 
• Closure wall required to connect ends of pier and retain new fill. Construction needed to be carefully sequenced with filling and densification operations.

Value-Engineering Geotechnical Solutions

• Project specifications were performance-based, allowing alternate designs by Contractor to maximize efficiency and reduce construction costs. 
• Creative and innovative solution to stabilize organic sediment using sand piles placed below water ahead of mass fill. 
• Overall construction delays minimized by sequencing filling and densification operations to accommodate closure wall construction schedule. 
• Maximized efficiency of fill densification below water using tandem compaction probes.

GZA's Offshore Wind Interactive PDF Photo Courtesy of Connecticut Port Authority https://statepiernewlondon.com/

Images Courtesy of Connecticut Port Authority. Rendering Artist: Jennifer Gottlieb, AIA NCARB at AECOM