CRL Surveys undertook the initial detailed condition survey of the concrete jetty structure in 2012, establishing a baseline understanding of asset condition and deterioration mechanisms. Since then, CRL has been engaged on an annual basis to deliver targeted repair and maintenance works, forming a long-term partnership focused on preserving structural integrity in a highly aggressive marine environment. Working within a live terminal handling hazardous materials requires meticulous planning, regulatory compliance and specialist access solutions.
CRL provided technical information and practical support to assist the client in securing the necessary approvals from the Port of London Authority, Environment Agency and Marine Management Organisation. This early engagement ensured works could be executed efficiently and compliantly. Due to restricted access and tidal constraints, CRL designed and erected complex suspended scaffold systems to provide safe working platforms beneath the jetty deck and around piles.
The scope of works was surveyed and agreed prior to intervention, allowing repairs to be precisely targeted. Defective concrete and historic pile encasements were removed using hydrodemolition, a technique selected for its ability to remove deteriorated material without damaging sound concrete or embedded reinforcement. New reinforcement was installed where required, using resin fixings and proprietary connectors to ensure structural continuity and durability.
Exposed steel elements were grit blasted to remove corrosion products and prepare surfaces for reinstatement. Fast-curing sprayed concrete was applied to piles within the tidal zone, allowing repairs to be completed within limited tidal windows, while conventional sprayed concrete was used to reinstate soffits and beams above. Below riverbed level, CRL carried out inspections of concrete piles using innovative air excavation techniques in conjunction with diving operations, enabling accurate assessment of otherwise inaccessible elements. This technically assured approach highlights CRL’s expertise in complex marine concrete repairs and long-term asset management.
