b) Off-shore Infrastructure

6.2.21 Plans and cross-sections of the jetty’s off-shore infrastructure are shown in Figure 6-2,
Volume 3. Photomontages of the jetty’s off-shore infrastructure are provided in Figure
6-3, Volume 3.

Stage 1 Summary

6.2.22 Stage 1 of the jetty’s development includes most of its main elements, including the jetty
bridge, jetty head, berthing pocket, materials handling and conveyance equipment (see
Figure 6-2, Volume 3).

6.2.23 The jetty would extend into the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) Lilstock Range Danger Area
(D119), which includes a target area for military helicopter gunnery training. Ongoing
discussions between EDF Energy and the MoD indicate that the target area would be
moved westwards (i.e. away from the jetty) by the repositioning of its marker buoys.

Jetty Bridge

6.2.24 The jetty bridge would extend landwards from the jetty head to the aggregates storage
area (see Figure 1-2, Volume 3). It would be approximately 490m long and 11.5m
wide. Based on a review of maximum wave heights and a 5m wave on mean high water
springs (MHWS), the bridge’s deck level is positioned so as to provide a minimum 1m
air gap between the wave crest and the underside of deck beams. The deck level at its
seaward end would be +16.5m CD (i.e. 16.5 metres above Chart Datum), which equates
to 10.6m AOD (i.e. 10.6 metres above Ordnance Datum) (see Section C-C, Figure 6-2,
Volume 3). From this point, the bridge would rise on a constant grade to meet the
ground level on land which would be at +25.9m CD (i.e. 20m AOD) (see Section A-A,
Figure 6-1, Volume 3).

6.2.25 The bridge comprises a steel box truss structure supported on concrete cross-heads,
which in turn are supported on raking steel tubular piles driven into the bedrock (see
Section C-C, Figure 6-2, Volume 3). The box truss structure is of consistent form
along the whole bridge up to the last span to the jetty head, where two smaller trusses
accommodate the aggregates conveyor and cement pipeline. A typical crosshead
would have two raking piles but at main bridge joints there would be four raking piles. A
special cross head would be required at the location of the transfer hopper which would
be larger than the other cross heads. The box truss structure provides stability to the
bridge and the opportunity for large spans between the supporting cross heads of
between 25 and 35m, thereby reducing the number of piles and the construction
programme. The number of bridge piles in the arrangement is between 45 and 55
depending on the final detailed design of the maximum possible span.

6.2.26 The truss structure would incorporate a pipeline for transporting cement on its western
side, a conveyor for aggregates on its eastern side and service ducts along its internal
western face (see Section C-C, Figure 6-2, Volume 3). These, along with the open
steel mesh flooring, would be supported on longitudinal steel deck beams which, in turn,
would sit on transverse deck beams which are integral with the box truss structure.

6.2.27 Maintenance walkways would be provided on either side of the pipeline and conveyor,
with the primary walkway being centrally located. Hand-railing would be provided on
both sides of the structure for the full length of the bridge. The central walkway, which is
1.5m wide, would be used primarily for pedestrian access to the jetty head, as a central

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Temporary Jetty Development 6-4 November 2010
 maintenance (and emergency) route, and for the transportation of small equipment and
materials by using, for example, a wide wheel based trolley.

6.2.28 Where the jetty bridge connects to the land, it would be necessary to cross over the
coastal footpath and, therefore, minor works may be required to ensure that all health
and safety requirements would be met. For example, the footpath may need to be
lowered slightly to create headroom of some 4m, and a protective cover may need to be
constructed under the approach bridge to ensure that any spillage from above does not
pose a risk to the public using the footpath. Cover could comprise either a self-
supporting structure (e.g. an arch culvert tunnel) or a structure suspended from the
longitudinal beams.

6.2.29 The jetty bridge would not include a dedicated surface water drainage system. Rainfall
run-off would drain directly into the sea.

Jetty Head

6.2.30 The jetty head would comprise a concrete head sized to accommodate 5000 dead
weight tonnage (dwt) self-discharging aggregates vessels (e.g. barges) and 2500 to
5000 dwt cement carriers (see Plan, Figure 6-2, Volume 3). This arrangement
assumes that dredgers would discharge from port aft (i.e. from the back of the vessel on
the left-hand side facing the bow).

6.2.31 The size of the main jetty head is expected to be in the order of 60m by 15m, and is
primarily based on providing a suitable berthing face and the requirement to
accommodate cement handling equipment. It is anticipated that the jetty deck would be
a 1.5m thick reinforced concrete slab supported by a combination of both vertical and
raking piles (70-90 in total). Some piles would need to be anchored to withstand the
berthing loads.

6.2.32 The jetty head would have a fendered face to accommodate the berthing energy from
the laden vessels over a range of tides. Emergency access ladders and associated
equipment would be provided on the jetty deck.

6.2.33 It is anticipated that the jetty head would have a mooring dolphin at its eastern and
western ends. The dolphins would consist of a concrete cap supported by raking steel
piles (although, at detailed design stage, consideration could be given to using
monopole construction for the dolphins). The dolphins would be accessed via steel
walkway bridges and would take the vessel mooring ropes.

6.2.34 The berthing face of the jetty head would be parallel to the prevailing dominant east-
west tidal current direction and generally parallel to the prevailing west through to south-
west winds. This approach to the berth’s design should assist vessel manoeuvring
because, for example, berthing with the ship heading into the prevailing conditions is
preferable as it allows greater control of the vessel.

6.2.35 The jetty head would not include a dedicated surface water drainage system. Rainfall
run-off would drain directly into the sea.

6.2.36 Some basic welfare facilities would be accommodated on the jetty head. A welfare
cabin (see Plan, Figure 6-2, Volume 3) would include a self-contained portable toilet
which would be regularly emptied (i.e. it would not discharge to sea or into a foul
drainage connection).

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Temporary Jetty Development 6-5 November 2010
 Berthing Pocket

6.2.37 It is considered necessary for the berth to operate with vessels afloat rather than on the
seabed (i.e. not using a Not Always Afloat But Safely Aground (NAABSA) berth) due to
the exposed nature of the berth. Aggregates vessels would operate within tidal access
windows which are estimated to be 7 hours on spring tides (giving 5.5 hours for off-
loading) and 7.5 hours on neap tides (giving 6 hours for off-loading). Cement carriers
would need some 15 hours to off-load and would have to remain at the berth during low
water; hence there would be a preference to deliver cement on neap tides, when there is
least difference between high and low water levels.

6.2.38 In order to increase the tidal window available for off-loading the cement carriers without
going aground, a berthing pocket would be dredged seaward of the jetty head’s berthing
face (see Figure 6-2, Volume 3). The berthing pocket’s dimensions would be
approximately 160m long by 27m wide by up to 3m deep. The sides of the berthing
pocket would have slopes of 1 in 5. An additional depth allowance of up to 0.5m could
be dredged due to over-dredging of the berthing pocket, making a total depth of up to
3.5m. This is because it is assumed that the appointed dredging contractor would over-
dredge by up to 0.5m to ensure that the required 3m depth is provided across the
berthing pocket.

6.2.39 Given the berthing pocket’s dimensions and side slopes, approximately 22,725m3 of
dredged material is expected to arise from the berthing pocket. The maximum potential
for over-dredging (i.e. by 0.5m) would add up to 2,160m3 dredged material. Therefore,
the total volume of dredged material that would arise from the berthing pocket would be
approximately 24,885m3.

Disposal of Dredged Material

6.2.40 It is anticipated that the dredged material would be disposed of at an existing off-shore
disposal site known as the Cardiff Grounds (see Plate 6.1 and Chapter 7).

6.2.41 The Cardiff Grounds is one of a number of existing off-shore disposal sites located
within the Bristol Channel that are established to receive dredged material. For
example, there are various sites off Cardiff, Swansea Bay Outer and Newport along the
Welsh Coast, off Portishead and Avonmouth along the English coast, and in the middle
of the Bristol Channel at a site known as the Merkur Buoy.

6.2.42 It is anticipated that a degree of in-filling of the berth pocket could occur over time and,
hence, maintenance dredging of the pocket could be required over the operational
period for the jetty.

Materials Handling and Conveyance Equipment

6.2.43 The jetty development would incorporate materials handling and conveyance equipment
for imported aggregates and cement.

6.2.44 For importing aggregates, there would be a height adjustable aggregate receiving
hopper to the east of the jetty head, which would be connected to an articulated
conveyor arm (see Plan, Figure 6-2, Volume 3). The supporting structure for the
hopper is provided by the jetty head and the adjacent mooring dolphin. This adjustable
hopper is necessary to allow discharge from a self-discharging dredger’s conveyor over
various states of the tide. When not in use, it can be stowed at jetty deck level so as to
prevent damage from wind and waves. Aggregate deposited in the receiving hopper

Hinkley Point C Preliminary Works Environmental Statement

Temporary Jetty Development 6-6 November 2010