Waler combines a GFRP through rod and nut system, which has high bending and fatigue resistance, and increases environmental and aesthetic service life. 

The compound vall at Half Moon Bay Pier. Image source, all images: Pultron Composites

Pultron Composites (Gisborne, New Zeland) collaborated with Bellingham Marine (Wash., US), an expert in pier design and construction, to develop a composite waller. waler designs, manufactures and manufactures under controlled conditions to meet strict ISO 9001:2015, ASTM and specific performance standards. It is currently established at Half Moon Bay Terminal in New Zealand. 

The beam is a horizontal structural beam installed on the side of the wharf. It spans multiple concrete buoys and secures them together. Walers plays a key structural role in terminal or port construction. Pultron’s design connects the gondolas to the floating dock through a glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composite thru-rod and nut system made by a pultrusion process. These are long rods with threads on both ends and held in place by nuts. It is said that waler and thru-rod are key parts of Bellingham's Unifloat concrete terminal system.

Although Waller can be made of wood, aluminum or steel, these materials have limitations. For example, wood does not corrode like steel, but it rots and has a shorter life cycle than composite materials. Alternatively, GFRP composites have multiple advantages, including elimination of corrosion, high tensile strength, and light weight. High flexibility and fatigue resistance can protect the waler from continuous motion caused by tides, waves and ships. The video below shows that the composite waller will bend with movement and return to its original shape without losing its stiffness.

The composite material Waller also does not affect the surrounding marine ecosystem, provides a cost-competitive price and excellent durability, and maintains its beauty without traces of rust leakage or concrete crushing caused by corroded steel.  

Pultron says a key innovation in its design is the keyway (longitudinal groove cut into the assembly to accommodate the key) that can be locked into matching details on the float. This customization maintains the alignment between the floats while reducing the shear stress on the bolts. Maintenance costs are also reduced. As part of the Unifloat Concrete Dock System, the composite waler is used in conjunction with the self-tightening through rod system to reduce the need to re-tighten the bolts. According to reports, this reduces maintenance costs and provides an estimated service life of more than 75 years. 

Other custom features include external drilling and a central cavity with smaller holes on the inner surface to recess the nut to ensure safety and avoid damage to the boat. The flexural strength of waler is ten times that of wood, providing high impact resistance and evenly distributed load. 

Pultron reports that the next major project using this technology is the Dana Point Port in California, USA. Upon completion, it is said that it will be the first terminal in the United States equipped with composite through bars, composite beams and Mateenbar composite reinforcements.

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