Tuas Finger One

Tuas Finger One is the first of the four ‘fingers’ comprising the next major port development in Singapore.

Location

Singapore

Client

JTC Corporation

Project Status

Ongoing

The project involves carrying out wharf construction, reclamation works and other related works to cater for preport usage supporting marine, offshore, oil and gas companies before being converted for container port terminal usage.

Approximately 3.5km of wharf structure will be created to accommodate the next generation of shipping allowing ships of 335,000DWT and draft up to 21m to berth in Singapore. A total of 91 gravity caissons have been used in the project. These cellular concrete boxes weighing over 12,500 tonnes and measuring 40m long x18m wide x 30m high act to support the operations on the wharf deck and retain the earth of the port development.

Dredging works up to -52mCD are required to remove poor and variable ground and provide a stable sandkey foundation to support the caisson structures.

Constructing the Caisson

The project team conducted a full caisson structural analysis and design to optimise the caisson shape with considerations and application of advanced analysis techniques, including design assistance and peer review of the contractor-designed elements before the final submission to the authorities.

Tuas Finger One will see a total of 91 gravity caissons used. These cellular concrete boxes primarily support the wharf deck operations and act to retain the earth of the port development.

The caisson boxes for both berthing and non-berthing wharf were all designed with uniformed profiles for easier fabrication, modular matching, and installation. A key challenge the team faced was in the coordination and planning process to execute the continuous casting of the 40m by 28m by 30m high caisson. Slip forming was the method adopted to improve the overall durability of the caisson structure and construction productivity, with each caisson requiring seven days to be fully cast.

Optimising wall designs

Design and construction of the project uses advanced analysis techniques to undertake ULS design using FEM to Eurocode 7, Eurocode suite of standards. We imparted knowledge transfer in the Eurocode design methods to the client. The project is also faced with challenging ground conditions with sampling difficulties and slaking potential of Jurong Formation to be resolved through scalable design and layouts.

By applying first principles and advanced analysis techniques, the optimised design of the short narrow heel walls achieved its intended functional capabilities by providing stability and resistance to the backfill sand and berthing loads overturning and having a more strategic allocation of materials to achieve greater cost efficiency.

Maximising the dual function casting yard

WSP collaborated with the contractor to achieve a casting yard design with dual functioning utility - a heat and weather shelter for uninterrupted concrete casting under a controlled temperature and to support the slip-form casting system. From a design perspective, it was critical to consider how the 47m high structure would operate to carry the slip form system and withstand potential wind loads. The casting yard gantry structure using multiple waivers due to its unique structural form had successfully attained Fire Safety and Shelter Department’s clearance.