Marine Infrastructure Benefits from Composites in Docks

Like other parts of the American infrastructure, the marine infrastructure has the challenges that go part in parcel with aging. Decades of neglect have led to crumbling concrete, rotting wood and rusting metal in many of the marinas, ports and shipping facilities on U.S. shorelines. In order to upgrade marine infrastructure and provide businesses with shipping, docking and harbor safety facilities that will last well into the 21st century, composites are an ideal option for upgrading marine infrastructure facilities.

The Benefits of Composites for the Marine Infrastructure of Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department Station 40

In 2011, the city of Jacksonville, Florida was about to embark on an infrastructure project to add a dock to Station 40 in order to house two fire boats and two Port Authority security boats. The city reached out to a number of companies for proposals and cost analysis for the dock, yet all of the companies that had been contacted came back with proposals that were at least 50% over the city’s budget and did not meet the city’s proposed construction timeline.

The city was considering shelving the project when they received a proposal to build the dock out of composite materials. The proposal met or exceeded all of the city’s requirements for the docking infrastructure and provided a significant number of benefits, which included:

• The ability to weather a category 3 hurricane
• High resistance to corrosion
• Superior energy absorption
• Meeting strict environmental regulations

All of these benefits were possible thanks to composite materials and off-site construction methods. Composite fiber-reinforced plastic (RFP) was used to construct the pilings, channels and decking for the docking infrastructure. The use of composites also allowed the on-site construction times to be significantly reduced due to their ability to be preassembled in the factory. As a result of using composite materials and off-site construction methods for the docking infrastructure, the city’s new dock was finished under budget and in less time than predicted. 

With the country’s marine infrastructure falling further and further into disrepair, composite materials offer a way to rebuild and renew marine infrastructure that leads to higher corrosion resistance, lower construction costs, reduced maintenance costs and longer service life. 

Composites One Leads the North American Market in Supplying Composite Materials

As the number one distributor of composite supplies in North America, Composites One is committed to assisting companies in all industries with their composite supply needs. Our knowledgeable technicians are well-versed in materials such as carbon fiber, epoxy resins, polyester resins and vinyl ester resins. If your company is looking for composite materials to improve your marine infrastructure, contact Composites One today.