Webb Dock International Container Terminal

The Scope

The Port of Melbourne is Australia’s largest container port. Record levels of trade have caused significant capacity constraints, limiting the amount of goods that can be imported and exported from the site.

The Problem

The Webb Dock was an aging facility in various states of disrepair. With increasing activity there was the need for remediation of the existing structure but to also expand the facility for future growth.

The Solution

The dock was redeveloped to provide capacity for over 1,000,000 container movements per year utilising automated, remote controlled equipment that improves accuracy and significantly reduces costs.

Constructing an automated dock brings with it some very unique design challenges. Driverless lifting cranes are guided by magnets embedded directly into the concrete pavement, meaning the pavement must be free of traditional steel reinforcement that can disturb the magnets electromagnetic fields.

Engineers working for the Port of Melbourne selected Forta Ferro fibre as the only fibre suitable for the project in both the 10,000m2 of pavement and 10,000 precast sleeper units.

Benefits of Forta Ferro

– Excellent fatigue and impact resistance. No magnetic interference.
– Removal of complex bending, placing and tying of additional bar reinforcements.
– Speed of constructions.
– Continuity of reinforcement close to and around magnets for high degree of crack control.
– Forta Ferro is hydrophobic will not corrode, is acid and alkali resistant and has a 100 year design life