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BULL’S NOSE & STORM GATES AT NORTH HARBOUR, CAPE CLEAR, CO. CORK

The Bull’s Nose plays a critical role in the protection of the Harbour at Cape Clear from swells and waves. It had been deteriorating for some time despite an attempted repair in 2009.

BULL’S NOSE & STORM GATES AT NORTH HARBOUR, CAPE CLEAR, CO. CORK
BULL’S NOSE & STORM GATES AT NORTH HARBOUR, CAPE CLEAR, CO. CORK

DELIVERED SERVICES

Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Marine Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Project Management, Structural Engineering, Other Services

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The main purpose of this challenging offshore infrastructure project, which was successfully completed in 2015, was to provide protection to the harbour from swells and waves. A follow-on project saw the installation of pontoons at the North Pier. The reclamation area was used to relocate a road which ran adjacent to the front of a Bird Observatory Building to be relocated away from the building. Space was then provided for parking and landscaping to the front of the Observatory, all to the benefit of the operation of the Observatory. The precast concrete storm gate system weighing 1,000 tonnes was precast in a dry dock and floated and towed by tug approximately 100km to Cape Clear. It was then sunk into position on foundations up to 7m underwater. His team then installed a set of sophisticated computer-controlled mitre storm gates which included two 30t gate leaves each operated by 140t hydraulic rams. This novel solution ensured that the vital island harbour could remain open throughout the construction programme. The solution also minimised underwater construction works thus improving build safety.

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