New ASCE/COPRI Design Standards for Piers and Wharves

To analyze and design piers and wharves, engineers must reference and integrate more than 40 national and international existing standards and guidelines. In 2019, the American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) Coasts, Oceans, Ports and Rivers Institute (COPRI) voted to create a standards committee to develop a new Design Standards for Piers and Wharves to address the lack of a comprehensive standard or guidance in the United States. The purpose of this committee is to create a consensus-driven, single resource document that provides consistent analysis and design guidance for determining loads, load combinations, and load factors to design for mooring, berthing, and metocean conditions. This new ASCE/COPRI Design Standards for Piers and Wharves will apply to the design, construction, alteration, expansion, upgrade, repair, rehabilitation, and replacement of piers and wharves or near-shore marine structures. The purpose of this standard is to provide minimum requirements, loads, load combinations, hazard levels, associated criteria, and performance goals based on current scientific and engineering knowledge, experience, and industry practice. This paper provides a summary of the new ASCE/COPRI Design Standards for Piers and Wharves by topic area and includes technical challenges and identifies potential research needs.

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