Open AccessPIER PROTECTION SYSTEM FOR THE DUWAMISH SHIP CHANNEL IN SEATTLE
Author(s) -
Y. Eisenberg
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
proceedings of conference on coastal engineering/proceedings of ... conference on coastal engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2156-1028
pISSN - 0589-087X
DOI - 10.9753/icce.v20.137
Subject(s) - pier , bridge (graph theory) , channel (broadcasting) , hull , swing , marine engineering , engineering , environmental science , forensic engineering , structural engineering , telecommunications , medicine , mechanical engineering
In 1978 an out-of-control ship hit and severely damaged a bascule bridge across the Duwamish West Waterway in Seattle seriously affecting both ship and highway traffic. The high level West Seattle Bridge was subsequently constructed to handle all through-highway traffic. A swing bridge was also designed to handle local traffic over the ship channel. The function of the pier protection system described in this paper is to protect the pivot piers and swing spans of this new bridge from damage by absorbing the part of the tranverse energy component imparted by a colliding ship, which is not absorbed by deformation of the ship's hull.