Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers, vol. LXX, Dec. 1910

Transactions of the American
Society of Civil Engineers, vol.
LXX, Dec. 1910

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Title: Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers, vol.
LXX, Dec. 1910 Reinforced Concrete Pier Construction
Author: Eugene Klapp
Release Date: February 16, 2006 [EBook #17777]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS
INSTITUTED 1852
TRANSACTIONS
Paper No. 1176
REINFORCED CONCRETE PIER CONSTRUCTION.
BY EUGENE KLAPP, M. AM. SOC. C. E.
WITH DISCUSSION BY MESSRS. WILLIAM ARTHUR PAYNE,
AND EUGENE KLAPP.

A private yacht pier, built near Glen Cove, Long Island, has brought
out a few points which may be of interest. It is an example of a small
engineering structure, which, though of no great moment in itself,
illustrates the adoption of means to an end that may be capable of very
great extension.
The problem, as submitted to the writer, was to construct a yacht
landing at East Island, on the exposed south shore of Long Island
Sound, in connection with the construction at that point of an elaborate
country residence. The slope of the beach at this point is very gradual,
and it was specified that there should be a depth of at least 4 ft. of water
at low tide. Soundings indicated that this necessitated a pier 300 ft. long.
It was further specified that the pier should be to some extent in
keeping with the scale of the place being created there, and that a
wooden pile structure would not be acceptable. Besides these esthetic
conditions, wooden piles were rejected because the teredo, in this part
of the Sound, is very active. At the same time, the owner did not care to
incur the expense of a masonry pier of the size involved. Also, it was
desired to unload on the pier all material for the house and grounds
during construction, and coal and other supplies thereafter, thus

necessitating a pier wide enough to allow access for a cart and horse
and to provide room for turning at the pier head.
[Illustration: PLATE XXX.--YACHT PIER NEAR GLEN COVE, N.
Y.]
Comparative designs and estimates were prepared for (a) a pier of
ordinary construction, but with creosoted piles; (b) a concrete pier on
concrete piles; and (c) for a series of concrete piers with wooden bridge
connections. The latter plan was very much the best in appearance, and
the calculated cost was less than that of the pier of concrete piles, and
only slightly more than that of creosoted piles, the latter being only of a
temporary nature in any case, as it has been found that the protection
afforded by creosote against the teredo is not permanent.
At this point on the Sound the mean range of the tide is about 8 ft., and
it was determined that at least 5 ft. above mean high water would be
required to make the underside of the dock safe from wave action.
There is a northeast exposure, with a long reach across the Sound, and
the seas at times become quite heavy. These considerations, together
with 4 ft. of water at low tide and from 2 to 3 ft. of toe-hold in the
beach, required the outer caissons to be at least 20 ft. high.
To construct such piers in the ordinary manner behind coffer-dams, and
in such an exposed location, was to involve expenditure far beyond that
which the owner cared to incur. The writer's attention had shortly
before been called to the successful use of reinforced concrete caissons
on the Great Lakes for breakwater construction, by Major W. V. Judson,
M. Am. Soc. C. E., and under patents held by that officer. It seemed
that here was a solution of the problem. These caissons are constructed
on the shore, preferably immediately adjoining the work. After
thorough inspection and seasoning, they are usually launched in a
manner somewhat similar to a boat, are towed into position, sunk in
place, and then filled with rip-rap.
In this case what was needed was a structure that could be constructed
safely and cheaply in the air, could then be allowed to harden
thoroughly, and could finally be placed in accurate position. The

weights to be supported were not great, the beach was good gravel and
sand, fairly level, and, under favorable circumstances of good