Construction has begun on a new wharf at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) Rothera Research Station, and Z sections from ArcelorMittal Europe – Long Products Sheet Piling are playing a leading role. The new wharf will be used to berth the RRS Sir David Attenborough. Commissioned by NERC and built by Cammel Laird for operation by BAS, this is one of the most advanced polar research vessels in the world. Construction of the wharf is being carried out on site and will take two years to complete.

The British Antarctic Survey

The British Antarctic Survey has a rich history of conducting scientific research at the earth’s southern pole. Since their first ship arrived in 1947, specialised vessels have allowed BAS to access remote areas that would not be possible otherwise.

The commissioning of the RRS Sir David Attenborough is part of the United Kingdom’s polar infrastructure investment programme. It is designed to keep Britain at the forefront of world-leading research in one of the most inhospitable regions on earth.

Research at the ends of the earth

Launched in 2018, the RRS Sir David Attenborough will commence sea trials in autumn 2019. The vessel will enable scientists to research oceans, ice, and the atmosphere. This floating, multidisciplinary research platform will give them access to state-of-the-art facilities including a scientific moon pool and containerised laboratories.

At almost 129 metres, the new vessel is much longer than its predecessors. This has necessitated the building of a new wharf at Rothera Research Station. BAM Nuttall, a leading construction and civil engineering company, is demolishing the existing wharf and constructing its larger replacement.

ArcelorMittal and BAM Nuttall worked closely on the design of the new wharf. The quay wall is made up of 200 sheet piles which are connected to a steel structure. Every pile has several holes for connections which are placed in different locations across the sheets, making each one unique. Fundamental to this close partnership is ArcelorMittal Sheet Piling’s ability to offer a complete solution comprising engineering design support, further fabrication and customisation, and bespoke logistics.

The AZ® piles selected for the quay wall have excellent strength-to-weight ratio. Weight was an issue as the sheet piles had to be shipped more than 11 000 kilometres to the site. Handling on site was also a consideration. AZ® piles are made from 100% recycled steel, helping to keep the total carbon footprint of the project down.

Prefabrication before shipping

ArcelorMittal and BAM Nuttall decided to pre-fabricate the sheet piles in the UK due to adverse weather conditions in the Antarctic. This meant that work normally done on site, such as welding and fitting of brackets, had to be carried out before the sheet piles were shipped.

The sheet piles arrived at Rothera in January 2019 after a month at sea. Demolition of the existing wharf also began in January and the first frames for the new wharf were installed in March. As work can only take place during the polar summer, the wharf is not expected to be fully operational until mid 2020.

When it is complete, the new wharf will allow polar research ships such as the RRS Sir David Attenborough to continue scientific investigation into deep-sea biology, seafloor geology, and climate change. Working in co-ordination with autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and other equipment, the ship will enable scientists to capture, analyse, and share data that will give us a better understanding of our planet. It will also provide essential evidence to help policymakers determine what action we must take to protect the earth.

The RRS Sir David Attenborough in figures

Tonnage: 15 000 GT / 4475 DWT
Length: 128.9 m (423 feet)
Beam: 24 m (79 feet)
Draught: 7 m (23 feet)
Depth: 11 m (36 feet)
Range: 35 000 km (22 000 miles) at 13 knots
Endurance: 60 days
Crew: 28
Scientists: 60

Text: ArcelorMittal Europe Communication
Photos: © Robert Mcgillivray / Shutterstock.com, © Sergey Tarasenko / Shutterstock.com

Today’s modern bridge construction faces new challenges such as the cost of building and maintenance and the time required for the planning and execution of the project.

This new video from ArcelorMittal describes how we build modern bridges with our innovative products and technologies: fast, efficient, sustainable, and cost-saving.

Two key elements are:
•    composite girders based on hot rolled steel sections of high-yield special steel grades
•    sheet piles as load-bearing elements leading to cost, time, and space saving during construction

Watch the video here: Our steel builds bridges video

In the last years, severe floods caused by storms and heavy rains have increasingly shaken the whole world and have shown that flood protection continues to be an important topic. In order to minimize flood damage, significant investments are required in this area – and steel sheet piles offer an efficient solution for flood control and riverbank protection.

Efficient flood protection systems with sheet piles

In order to establish an efficient anti-flood system, apart from creating a polder system with flood plains, land reclaimed or marshes, it is necessary to take some integrated activities within the range of the environmental development and construction strategy. It is essential to build a relationship between modern technology solutions and the potential of the natural environment itself.

The implementation of steel sheet pile jagged walls is the safest and the most cost-effective solution. The sheet piles are the best answer for building and reinforcing flood dikes, ditches, etc. Their high tightness coefficient is well-known and tested in practice. The ArcelorMittal sheet piles, either hot or cold rolled, are an appropriate and optimal solution for the problem. Self-propelled high frequency vibrators and hydraulic machines are used for the sheet pile caving. This way there is no environmental damage.

A short installation time allows the use the sheet piles just before the flood arrives. It is possible to use them in many ways, taking into consideration the evaluated and real loads.

Steel sheet piles offer numerous benefits in flood protection

1. Sheet piles can seal and stabilize both existing and new flood dikes. They prevent tides and stabilize the structure of flood dikes. The combined wall is an impassable barrier for animals and tree roots and prevents landslides. The part of the wall seated into the ground is corrosion-resistant — under normal conditions it is assumed that the wall thickness decrement reaches 0.03 mm per year, 1.5 mm per 50 years (source: Eurocode 3. Design of steel structure. Part. 5 Piling).

2. Another benefit of using sheet piles within the range of flood protection is the material as itself: Steel is homogenous, flexible, plastic and safe for the environment. The material meets the requirements of well-known standards (EN). Steel is 100% recyclable — it is 100% "ecological" material.

3. Steel jagged walls are provided as ready-to-use products for immediate application. Some construction transformations like replacement, caving depth increase, sheet piles joining, may be operated at any time. It is possible to use various sheet pile types within the scope of the given project and to join them in order to make the structure unbroken and optimize the investment costs.

4. Sheet piles are one of the solutions for ditch (flood dike) tides. Whereas other construction materials yield easily, it is impossible to break a sheet pile structure. The ArcelorMittal sheet piles, used in anti-flood structures all over Europe, prove that they are a fast and cost-effective solution.