An Update of PIANC WG233's Manual for the Inspection, Maintenance & Repair of Waterfront Facilities

Abstract: PIANC (The World Association of Waterborne Transport Infrastructure) is a worldwide non-political, non-profit, technical, and scientific organization established to promote inland and maritime navigation. It does this by establishing international study commissions and ‘Working Groups’ technical experts to develop manuals and guidelines to advance progress in the planning, design, construction, improvement, maintenance, and operation of inland and maritime waterways, ports, and coastal areas for general use.

PIANC Working Group 233 (WG233) was established in May 2020 to provide an update to prior publications by WG17 (“Inspection, Maintenance and Repair of Maritime Structures Exposed to Damage and Material Degradation Caused by a Salt Water Environment”, originally published in 1990 and updated in 2004). WG233 consists of an international group of waterfront engineering experts from Britain, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Denmark, Portugal, Japan, Australia, Canada, Spain, and the United States. As of April 2024, WG233 is approximately 75% complete in its effort to develop the updated guideline, which is scheduled to be submitted for internal review in December 2024 and published in 2025.

The objectives of WG233 are to review, update, and, where appropriate, expand or revise the previous guideline to reflect modern techniques and more recent references. The new guide, which is a planned to be a significant expansion of prior versions, will incorporate additional topics such as service life modeling, drone-based visual and laser inspection techniques, asset management techniques, and the latest generation of non-destructive testing and repair technology. In addition, various inspection types will be defined, with details of their purpose and scope of work clearly defined.

The publication is not intended to supersede existing codes and standards. Instead, It will provide a detailed description of the current state-of-the-art practice regarding the management of waterfront structures and is intended for an international audience.
During the development of the new guideline, the WG233 identified several additional topics where currently available codes, references, guidelines, and standards are lacking. These new topics, not found in current publications, include:

1. A comprehensive discussion of the concept of ‘Intervention,’ providing definitions and guidance for the rationale behind the methodologies and techniques for extending the service life of waterfront structures. The paper will define the four intervention types: Maintenance, Preservation, Repair, and Rehabilitation, providing examples of each and the rationale.
2. A detailed discussion of the use of modern digital above- and below-water inspection technologies, with guidance on presenting the findings in report format and managing the extensive volumes of data.
3. Guidance on determining the load-carrying capacity of existing structures based on inspection findings.

This paper proposes to provide an overview of the new WG233 guideline's background and content, followed by an in-depth discussion that expands on the three topics introduced above.

How does this project / topic contribute to the advancement of the industry and profession?: The WG233 publication will be a comprehensive guideline for waterfront engineers, covering a wide range of topics not currently found in a single reference document.

Does the project / topic implement new and innovative techniques, materials, technologies, and delivery methods?: Yes, the paper will discuss in detail three topics that are not currently found in publications that focus exclusively on waterfront structure.
 The concept of ‘Intervention’ as it pertains to structural rehabilitation and service life,
 Discussion on the state-of-the-art for the practical application of digital inspection technologies,
 Discussion of methodologies for the structural evaluation of existing marine structures based on inspection findings.

What was the most challenging aspect of your project / topic and how did you handle it to ensure success?: Although not intended to be a topic of the paper, the most challenging part of the effort to develop the WG233 guideline has been to maintain consistent progress in the development of the document, particularly through COVID.

Who is the target audience for this paper?: Waterfront infrastructure owners, port engineers, and structural engineers.