MARINE & COASTAL ENGINEERING
Quay walls
Waterfront retaining structures for port and industrial waterfront developments.
What is a quay wall?
A quay wall is a vertical or near-vertical retaining structure built along a waterfront to allow vessels to berth directly alongside, while retaining the land or fill behind it. Unlike an open-piled jetty, a quay wall typically presents a continuous face to the water.
Engineering application
Quay wall design must resist retained-earth pressure from the landside, berthing and mooring loads from vessels, and hydraulic loading, while providing a stable, durable waterfront edge for cargo handling or vessel access.
Typical project types
- Port and terminal waterfront structures
- Industrial waterfront facilities
- Waterfront developments requiring a hard-edge quay
Advantages
- Provides direct vessel-alongside berthing without an open-piled deck
- Can be combined with reclaimed land behind the wall
- Durable, long-design-life waterfront solution when properly engineered
Considerations
- Retained-earth and hydraulic loading require careful geotechnical assessment
- Construction sequencing (dredging, wall installation, backfill) must be carefully planned
- Durability detailing is critical in the marine/tidal zone
Construction methodology
Methodology depends on the quay wall type selected — options include sheet-pile walls, combi-walls (piles and sheet piling), or caisson/block walls.
Selected project experience
- Quay wall and berthing facilities: Ebute Meta foreshore, Lagos
- Berthing terminal: Abule Osun foreshore, NASCO Free Trade Zone, Lagos
- Berthing terminal (Phase I), Alhmoruf Oil and Gas: Agbara foreshore, Lagos
Quay wall FAQ
What is a quay wall? +
A quay wall is a vertical waterfront retaining structure that allows vessels to berth directly alongside while retaining the land or fill behind it.
What's the difference between a quay wall and a jetty? +
A quay wall presents a continuous retaining face to the water and retains land behind it, while a jetty is typically an open-piled structure projecting into the water. See jetty construction.