Performance and Condition Assessment of 30 Year Old Anchorages, River Clyde, Glasgow

To assess the condition and service performance of 30 year old anchorages located within a tidal zone, a programme of inspections and testing was commissioned. In the first phase anchorages were subjected to detailed visual inspection and classification according to the extent of corrosion. In the second phase selected anchorages were subjected to lift-off tests and some strands were tested to failure. To further investigate the severity of corrosion, exhumations were carried out behind the anchor head and within the free anchor length where samples were extracted and subjected to metallurgical examination. In addition, samples of strand, with the original barrel and wedges still attached, were tested to establish strand capacity and the gripping efficiency of the existing barrel and wedge units.

The information derived from this inspection and testing programme provided justification for the down-rating of a proportion of the working anchorages and the recommendation that, in some cases, the anchorages were no longer fit for their intended purpose.

• Introduction

• Phase I – Visual inspection, categorisation and test classification

• The nature and configuration of the existing anchorages

• Testing of strand capacity on Walls 18, 20 and 23

• Investigation of loads in existing anchorages

• Summary and closing remarks

• Acknowledgements

• References