Skanska is Going Green
ICE® Works Towards a Wind Energy Future 

Editor: Allison Braswell

A 12-megawatt wind project off the coast of Virginia, the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) Pilot Project, is the first offshore wind project established in federal waters and the largest of its kind in the United States. Installed in Fall 2020, 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach, the two wind turbines can deliver renewable energy to about 3,000 homes during peak production. Not only is CVOW a big step towards a clean energy future, but it helps to diversify homes' energy supply, which lowers fuel costs and increases energy security. 

As part of ongoing work toward CVOW, Skanska Group has taken on a $223 million assignment at the Portsmouth Marine Terminal in Portsmouth, VA. Since July 2022, Skanska has been rebuilding approximately 72 acres of the 287-acre terminal to prepare the way for an offshore wind staging port, which will improve 1,500 feet of an existing 3,540-foot wharf. This will add 176 new turbines to the project that will produce 2.6 gigawatts, enough to power up to 660,000 homes. The wind farm will also feature three offshore substations to accumulate the energy, underwater cables to get it ashore, and new onshore transmission infrastructure to deliver the energy onto the broader electric grid. Completion is scheduled for 2026. 

The contractor invested in a variety of ICE® green iron for this project, including an ICE® I-138 Diesel Impact Hammer with 66" (in) offshore leads, two ICE® 50B Vibratory Driver/Extractors with Model 105H Caisson Clamps and 6.5' (ft) Beam assemblies, and an ICE® 66 Vibratory Driver/Extractor with Model 145H Caisson Clamps and 6.5' (ft) Beam assembly. The equipment made an easy job of driving and extracting piles for a pre-piling template to simplify the pile driving process. 

Other work on the project includes building berths for the wind turbine generator delivery and load-out and the berth for steel tube monopiles, an essential part of wind turbine foundations. Monopiles serve as the base for the transition pieces, which support secondary elements like boat landings and platforms for safe access to the turbines. The top flange of the transition piece is bolted to the turbine tower. Extra measures are being taken to strengthen the soil in the upland areas for handling heavy surface loadings from these foundation components as well as cranes, generators, and self-propelled modular transporters. This project will also involve dredging a channel and access area that reinforces a Mediterranean mooring layout, a technique for docking a vessel to pier at a perpendicular angle in efforts to occupy less space at a wharf. International Construction Equipment, Inc is honored that Skanska chose to rely on several types of ICE® foundation solutions for this innovative endeavor that will help Virginia achieve its clean energy goals. 

Learn more about the ICE® I-138, ICE® 50B, ICE® 66C, Model 105H Caisson Clamps, and Model 145H Caisson Clamps. 

Media Contact-    
Pollyanna Cunningham, MA, MBA    
Vice President Marketing, Brand and Media Relations  

Vice President IT and IT Comm 
ICE® - International Construction Equipment, Inc    
Office - 704-821-8200    
Email - marketing@iceusa.com   

Fresh Fish Meets Fresh New Piles 

Editor: Allison Braswell 

Overlooking Aunt Lydia's Cove in Cape Cod, Mass. is Chatham Pier Fish Market, where guests can enjoy classic New England cuisine as they watch fishing boats unload the day's catch next to the on-site picnic tables. In addition to the locally caught salmon, halibut, and tuna, this take-out seafood market is known for its lobster rolls and clam chowder that people like to bring on their waterfront dates at the pier. 

But it is not just patrons of the best fish market in Chatham who take in views of the bay at the Chatham Fish Pier. In the summer, around 3,000 people a day visit the observation deck above the pier to see boats, seals, and other marine activity gracing Chatham Harbor. Starting in 2013, however, visitors have reported shakiness when using the deck. Meanwhile, the south bulkhead of the pier had not been replaced in over 40 years, and the tide had begun to pull out filler from the holes in the bulkhead. On one occasion, an excavator dredging around the dock collapsed through the concrete pad on the south side, which made replacing the aging bulkhead a higher priority to town officials. 

To make the town's most-visited site safe again, MAS Building & Bridge was awarded the $5 million job of rebuilding the bulkhead at the south side of the fish pier as well as reconstructing the observation deck, stairs, and pedestrian walkway near the wharfinger's office. After the new steel bulkhead was built, the contractor poured a concrete cap to encompass the bulkhead and help preserve its durability. With this enhancement, fishermen can expect better working conditions for unloading fish at the commercial fish pier. The freshly-placed steel and timber piles of the pier's design handle more weight and require fewer support columns, creating less obstacles for workers. Additionally, water-tight decking will prevent debris from leaking down between the boards onto areas where fish are being processed. The remodeled observation deck is also being doubled in size so that it is more accessible for people with disabilities and more visitors overall. 

For installing new fender piles in front of the bulkhead, an ICE® 28D Vibratory Driver/Extractor equipped with a Model 55 Combination Clamp is being used to drive Greenheart timber piles--a wise choice of timber for saltwater and freshwater applications. Timber piling made of treated wood from Southern Yellow Pine trees is the most popular option as it is less expensive, but it may be a bigger investment in the long run because these piles need to be replaced more frequently as a result from wear-and-tear and corrosion. On the other hand, a tropical hardwood found in the South American rain-forests of Guyana and Suriname, called Greenheart wood, is what creates more high-quality, durable piling. Often used in high-end marine construction, Greenheart piling is about four times stronger than pine and requires no chemical treatment because it is biologically immune to decay and marine borers such as Teredo worms. In this case, the new Greenheart piles for the Chatham Fish Pier are expected to last over 50 years without developing any structural defects. Please note that Greenheart is not listed as being endangered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendices. 

International Construction Equipment, Inc is excited to see their USA-made deep foundation products enhance one of the best coastal sightseeing opportunities in the country. Thank you to MAS Building & Bridge for relying on ICE® equipment to help bring Bay Staters' seafood dinners from the boat to their plate! 

Learn more about the ICE® 28D and Model 55 clamp. 

Media Contact-    
Pollyanna Cunningham, MA, MBA    
Vice President Marketing, Brand and Media Relations  

Vice President IT and IT Comm 
ICE® - International Construction Equipment, Inc    
Office - 704-821-8200    
Email - marketing@iceusa.com   

ICE® Supports Natural History
Deep Creek Bridge Rehabilitation 

Editor: Debbie Reaney

Seacoast Construction is leading the way to road rehabilitation on the Deep Creek Bridge in Putnam County, FL. Deep Creek is one of the tributaries of the Ocklawaha River and a historical site of America's first professional botanist William Bartram who explored the southeastern United States between 1765 and 1777. In his 1791 book called Travels, Bartram details his encounters with nature and even the indigenous people in eight southern states including Florida. His descriptions of exotic, subtropical Florida were particularly a favorite among his readers and had a major influence on settlement and subsequent development in the state. 

Established in 1976, the Bartram Trail Conference works to locate and mark the route of Bartram through the southern states in efforts to foster public interest in recreational trails and botanical gardens. Marker Number 31 of the Bartram Trail in Putnam County is located on the roadside at the Deep Creek Bridge. Safe access to the trail allows opportunities for hiking, biking, and paddling that can be found on its matrix of paths, inviting people of all ages to connect with parts of nature that the eminent naturalist once did. 

As is the case with many of America's bridges, improvements to the bridge support components are long overdue but thanks to the Florida DOT and Seacoast Construction these updates have finally commenced. To aid in the placement of the much-needed new pier piles, the Seacoast crew employed an ICE® 416L Vibratory Driver/Extractor for installing a template of steel H beams that would prop up the pier piles as they drive them in the ground. Once in place, an ICE® I-19 Diesel Impact Hammer will be used to drive prestressed concrete test piles of 18-inch diameter and about 100-foot length to determine the bearing capacity before the permanent pier piles are installed. The horizontal support beams underneath the bridge will also be replaced. 

Although this job is projected to last just seven months, it feels much longer for commuters who routinely cross the bridge but must now resort to a 30-mile detour around it. Thankfully, the contractor was aware of ICE® deep foundations equipment reputation and rented this machinery specifically for its proficiency and caliber. The high-quality manufacturing means less maintenance and service visits are required, speeding up production time on projects like Deep Creek Bridge and upholding International Construction Equipment, Inc.'s hammers as the most sought-after in the industry. Magnificent work, Seacoast Construction! Your hard work and dedication to creating safer access through one of northern Florida's historical landscapes will certainly continue to resonate with modern-day explorers and local residents alike. 

Learn more about the ICE® I-19V2 and ICE® 416L. 

Media Contact-    
Pollyanna Cunningham, MA, MBA    
Vice President Marketing, Brand and Media Relations  

Vice President IT and IT Comm 
ICE® - International Construction Equipment, Inc    
Office - 704-821-8200    
Email - marketing@iceusa.com   

HydroLock Adapter: A Game Changer for a Pile Driver
Simple Hammer Add-On Cuts Thousands from Job Costs 

Editor: Debbie Reaney 

The only public port in Rhode Island, the Port of Davisville, is a gem in the state's economy. It is the economic engine of the Quonset Business Park that hosts more than 200 companies and 12,900 jobs. The southeastern pier of the 60-acre port, called Pier 1, was built by the Navy in the World War II era, and stretches for a quarter of a mile. It primarily supports auto shipping services and the growing offshore wind industry as it takes in over 300,000 cars per year and helps transfer construction crews and maintenance technicians to and from the offshore turbines. 

As part of the $234.5-million Port of Davisville Master Plan by Quonset Development Corporation (QDC), Pier 1 is getting major restorations. Its decomposing, creosote-treated timber piles on the outside perimeter points will be replaced with concrete and steel piles, creating a more modern and reliable resource for economic growth over Narragansett Bay and a safer docking experience for the 175 ships that dock in the port each year. Plus, three more berths available for cargo ships and offshore wind service vessels will be added for a total of five berths, which will support more movement of wind energy crews and help maintain the port's annual contribution of $373.4 million to business output. Expected to wrap up in June 2024, this reconstruction is one of many infrastructure upgrades in the Port Master Plan that will position Davisville as one of the top ten auto importers in America and, most importantly, a leader in the offshore wind industry. 

The contractor restoring the pier, JF Brennan Company out of Wisconsin, is focused on the outer perimeter points of the pier that absorb the force of docking ships, so the new steel fender piles will take all that force on their own. To install H beams for the pile driving template, the crew is utilizing an ICE® 44E Vibratory Driver/Extractor equipped with a Model 140C Sheeting Clamp and a Model 140C HydroLock adapter--a game changer for a pile driver working with multiple types of pile. In a sense, bolting a HydroLock Adapter to a combination clamp like the Model 140H gives it the turbo power that you would find in a caisson clamp with innate HydroLock abilities such as the Model 105H. A typical caisson clamp slides onto the pile and, once in position, locks itself to the beam so it cannot slide around. On the other hand, a sheeting clamp is bolted and unbolted from sheet pile, which is a much more time-consuming mechanism. The Hydrolock Adapter for the Model 140C Clamp eliminates the need to bolt and unbolt as it allows the clamp to easily slide off of one type of pile and slide onto a different type. While it typically takes crews an entire afternoon to unbolt and bolt pile from a sheeting clamp, the process involving the versatile HydroLock Adapter takes less than an hour. Depending on the length of a project, this can save contractors tens of thousands in crew costs alone. This add-on has recently grown in popularity--All Model 140C HydroLock Adapters available at International Construction Equipment, Inc have been consistently staying out on rent in recent months! 

Additionally, an ICE® 22D Vibratory Driver/Extractor equipped with a Model 55 Combination Clamp is being used to remove over 3,000 80-year-old timber piles from the seabed, all between 60' (ft) and 80' in length. Using an ICE® I-46V2 Diesel Impact Hammer, more than 300 24" (in)-diameter pipe piles of 100'-140' (ft) length are taking the place of the outer timber piles. The inner piles of the pier may also be replaced within the next several years, and a staggering 52,000 feet (about twice the height of Mount Everest) of piles is already being replaced so far. ICE® is elated to provide cost-effective and time-saving deep foundation solutions to JF Brennan as they help transform the Port of Davisville into a key hub for Rhode Island's clean energy initiative. 

Learn more about the ICE® 44E, ICE® 22D, ICE® I-46V2, Model 140 Hydrolock Adapter, Model 140C Clamp, Model 55 Clamp, and Model 105H Caisson Clamp. 

Media Contact-    
Pollyanna Cunningham, MA, MBA    
Vice President Marketing, Brand and Media Relations  

Vice President IT and IT Comm 
ICE® - International Construction Equipment, Inc    
Office - 704-821-8200    
Email - marketing@iceusa.com