We were contacted by Worthing Borough Council to examine a damaged pier column following days of awful, stormy weather. Inspections found safety concerns with the column causing further damage to the pier and subsequently, it was deemed a danger to the public. It was agreed that the Council would close the pier to protect visitors to and around the pier.
Using the low spring tides, our teams mobilised the following day to remove the loose pile and tie bars to alleviate immediate safety concerns and allow further investigations. Working very closely with the Council and their design consultants for a solution to stabilise the pier, we developed a temporary support structure to be installed on the next low spring tides. Using the available tidal working windows and with favourable weather, the pier will be safely stabilised to aid further, more comprehensive inspections and tests to enable the design of a permanent solution.
The Council, designers and our site teams have been working effectively since first contact to get the pier safe and open to the public as soon as possible. We have received positive feedback from the Council and the public on the work that has been completed so far and the Council has done an excellent job of keeping everyone informed of the progress through a dedicated web page with updates and answers to some of the questions people have. to keep everyone regularly updated with progress to make sure everyone understands what has happened so far.
Despite some dips in the good weather we had been having, we have been able to get the works underway at Worthing Pier, and the team has made great progress so far. Six 15m steel piles have been driven into the seabed, either side of the pier, further strengthened by capping and bracing. Steel support beams and 16.5m steel trusses on top will take the weight of the pier and enable the removal of the damaged piles and subsequent replacement.
The team has been working all hours of the days, nights and weekends, whenever the tide and weather has allowed and will continue to do so until we can get the pier open again.
It is an excellent example of Mackley’s emergency call out response and skilful engineering. The progress also shows what good, long term relationships with our clients can achieve when working together, as one big team.
Big thanks to the guys on site who have done such a great job on this high profile project, Lawrence Rogers, Gavin Heater, Elliott Young, Kevin Heater, Kevin Rowland, Lee Cant, Dean Halton, Max Downie and Mark Heron.
