New ASCE/COPRI Design Standards for Piers and Wharves—Geotechnical Considerations

In 2019, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Coasts, Oceans, Ports and Rivers Institute (COPRI) established a Standards Committee entitled Design Standards for Piers and Wharves to address the lack of a comprehensive standard or guidance document on the subject in the United States. The purpose of this standard is to provide a consensus-driven, single-resource document that provides consistent analysis and design guidance for determining loads, load combinations, and load factors for mooring, berthing, and wave/current forces on piers and wharves. This design standard will complement and reference the currently available ASCE/COPRI 61 Seismic Design of Piers and Wharves (ASCE/COPRI 61). This paper presents a detailed discussion on Geotechnical Considerations, which will be a chapter of the new standard, for Subsurface Investigation and Foundation Design, and describes the considerations for the appropriate level of geotechnical investigations to determine subsurface conditions. The chapter on geotechnical considerations also describes the minimum requirements for the design of geotechnical features of marine structures, such as groundwater level, slope stability, settlement, bulkhead walls, retaining structures, shallow and deep foundations, ground improvement, and construction observation from a geotechnical perspective. The importance of adequate geotechnical site characterization is discussed as it determines subsequent design and construction decisions. Suitable design methodologies and the need for close interactions with the structural designer are also discussed.