A Practical Approach -

Identification,
Repairs and Prevention of ALWC

Mike Hodgson
Accelerated Low Water Corrosion

A Grim (sic) Fairy Tale

Mike Hodgson
•Accelerated Low Water Corrosion

•Limpet Dams

•Design Of ALWC Repairs – Existing Structures

•Design of New Structures to Minimise the

effects of ALWC
accelerated
low water
corrosion
Sheet Piles
Not just Sheet Piles

Cellular Cofferdams
Tubes
 H pile
Tubular Pile

Sheet Pile
 Accelerated Low Water Corrosion
Description: -
• Faster than normal

• At low level

• “What it says on the tin”

• Nothing Else
Accelerated Low Water Corrosion
Caused by: -
•Complex Bacterial Colony

• Sulphate Reducing Bacteria

0.5m

ALWC ZONE
TYPICAL CORROSION RATE
0.5mm/YEAR
 Accelerated Low Water Corrosion
Mechanism

•Full sized corrosion colony is “Hand” sized.

•This is approx 10%? of ALWC zone - area susceptible to corrosion.
•Each colony has a finite life - reaches a certain size / age? then disappears.
•New Colony establishes – may be the cause of its predecessor's demise.
•Reoccurrence of an overlapping colony in same spot on pile is random.

•Since measured average corrosion rates 0.3 to 1.0mm per year.

•Therefore within Colonies:
“Instantaneous corrosion rates” of 4 - 5 mm per year?
Corrosion Cells - Personality!

•Determined
•Tenacious
•Adaptable

Unless controlled at an early stage!!!

Can be Expensive !!!

 Corrosion Cells –
Tenacity
Determination!
When Corrosion zone is covered (paint, oil, fender) it moves: -

•Horizontally in
preference
•Also up or downwards
When buried : -
•Moves up to 300mm above bed
Blyth
Accelerated Low Water Corrosion

• Faster than normal

• At low level
Corrosion on a typical Quay
 ATMOSPHERIC CORROSION
ONLY IN THIS ZONE
i.e. Rust not usually critical

0.5m
0.5m

ALWC ZONE
TYPICAL CORROSION RATE
0.5mm/YEAR
 SHEET PILES EFFECTIVELY
CATHODICALLY PROTECTED
0.5m BY ACTION OF ALWC CELLS
IN THESE ZONES

ALMOST ZERO
CORROSION BELOW
BED LEVEL
 Corroded
Material

Remaining
Steel

t mm
Result: -
All corrosion on pile
concentrated in one location

Eureka!
How are your Piles?
What must we do to repair ALWC
on existing quays?
• Block any holes already formed
• Replace the steel already lost
• Provide sufficient sacrificial steel to ensure
the necessary life ahead
Limpet Dams
 Advantages of working in the
dry
•Compared with
Improved quality Diving
• Verifiable quality
• Economy
• Speed
 LIMPET DAMS

Compact Operation
Unique Selling Points

No Disruption to Port Operation

Limpet Dams
Cromwell Street
Quay Stornoway
 Repair of Low Water
Corrosion Damage

Frodingham Sheet Piles

“Z” Piles
Flush surface to shipping
Repair of Low Water
Corrosion Damage

Larssen Sheet Piles

“U” Piles
GAP Pile – Plate = 3mm
450 micron Coal Tar Epoxy Paint – 1 coat
Weld Window
Not just Sheet Pile Quay Access
When should I repair?
What about new Construction?
Options

Painting
 New Quay Construction:
Corrosion Control Measures
Conventionally

• Paint all pile

• PLUS
• Increased pile thickness
Wasteful
Cathodic Protection
Ongoing protection
• cathodic protection
 Ongoing protection
• cathodic protection

Cathodic protection effective

from just below bed level
0.5m
up to mid tide

minimum maintenance
What about new Construction?
Options

Painting

Plating
Cathodic Protection
Sacrificial Anode - Galvanic
Impressed Current
 New Quay Construction:
Corrosion Control Measures
Proposed Alternative

• Doubler Plates

• Targeted - therefore more economical

And effective

Waste Minimisation
 Predict position of plate
and weld before driving

Weld – to pile not clutch

 Non Classical ALWC

•Some unusual features

In Conclusion – New and Existing Quays

Use sacrificial plates to allow the

predictable ALWC regime to continue

Consider the installation of cathodic protection

In Conclusion – Existing Quays

• Inspect regularly

• Repair
early
In Conclusion – New Construction

• Apply Paint from Mid Tide Upwards

• Apply Cathodic Protection
Questions?