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Composites Vs. Traditional Materials in Marine Environments

At Creative Composites Group, we design and manufacture composite waterfront infrastructure products, such as camels, docks, sheet piles, pipe piles, fender systems and custom marine projects.

Why Choose Composites for Waterfront Infrastructure Projects?

Traditional construction materials, such as concrete, steel and wood, come with unique challenges due to the harsh conditions experienced in marine environments. For example, traditional construction materials are constantly exposed to saltwater, UV sunlight, extreme weather conditions and even corrosive chemicals.

Due to this exposure, wood will decay, and steel will corrode. That’s why many industry professionals have turned to composites, which has excellent environmental durability and design flexibility. These qualities, among others, make it a more cost-efficient and long-lasting material choice for marine infrastructure.

Composites offer many advantages over other materials that make it a better option for waterfront infrastructure projects: 

  • It is strong and lightweight. Our composite structures have a high strength-to-weight ratio. As a result, it is naturally buoyant, which is ideal for components and structures installed in waterfront environments.
  • It is durable. Since the fiberglass core is surrounded by a chemical and ultraviolet (UV) radiation-resistant polymer, it is protected against many of the environmental hazards found at the waterfront.
  • It is low maintenance. The durability of our composites allows them to last up to 75 years with no maintenance, which can lead to significant savings over the course of the structure’s life.
  • It is cost-efficient. The fiberglass reinforcement material in FRP offers high strength at a low cost, which makes FRP composites are structurally sound and a cost-effective material option.

CCG's Composite Products for Marine Infrastructure

Due to its many advantages, composites are becoming the top contender to replace aging wood, concrete and metal for marine infrastructure. Our structural FRP products combine the maximum environmental durability with design flexibility that non-composite products simply can’t match.

At Creative Composites Group, we can provide the following waterfront products:

Camels

Camel

Camels are designed to fit between vessels and the pier to protect both of them from accidental impact damage. Our camel offerings include ship-to-shore camels, floating log camels, submarine camels, and aircraft carrier camels.

  • Log camelsLog camels float between the ship and the pier to ensure that the vessel maintains a safe distance. They also help distribute berthing loads across multiple fenders so that the piling structures can better absorb the impact.
  • Submarine camelsSubmarine camels maintain proper spacing between submersibles and a pier or wharf.  Low maintenance reduces operational costs over traditional steel and wood camels which require repairs every two years.
  • Aircraft carrier camelsAircraft carrier camels are uniquely tasked with providing separation between massive naval vessels and the dock. These low-maintenance FRP products have a 25-year life span.

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Docks & Marinas

Docks & Marinas

Our FRP products are used for many docks, harbors, marinas, piers, and other similar waterfront systems. The material offers better short-term and long-term performance.  LEARN MORE >>

Dolphins

6.FRP Dolphin replacing wood pile cluster

These components are used for berthing and mooring marine vessels. They are available in three types: mooring dolphins, berthing dolphins, and breasting dolphins. One of our FiberPILE breasting dolphins can replace a whole timber cluster with no performance difference. LEARN MORE >>

Fender Systems

Fender System

Fender systems are engineered to protect waterway infrastructure, such as bridge piers and electric towers, by absorbing impact from barges, ships, and other waterway vessels. The fender components that can be made from FRP include pipe piles, wales, and dolphinsLEARN MORE >>

Guide Walls

Guide Wall

Guide walls also absorb impact from vessels. They help minimize vessel damage and passenger injury. Ones made with our FiberPILE products can bend and recover without breaking. LEARN MORE >>

Pipe Piles

Pipe Piles

These components are driven into the ground to ensure they transfer loads to a secure reaction location. Our FiberPILE and SUPERPILE pipe piles offer excellent sturdiness and durability. FiberPILEs are available in custom diameters ranging from 18 to 72 inches and wall thicknesses up to 2 inches. SUPERPILEs are available in smaller diameters of 10, 12, and 16 inches and wall thickness of 3/8 or 1/2 inch. LEARN MORE >>

Sheet Piles

Sheet Pile

Our sheet piles are a decay-proof alternative to traditional retaining walls. They offer a high strength-to-weight ratio, excellent corrosion resistance, and easy maintenance requirements. LEARN MORE >>

Ship Separators

pearl-harbor-ship-separators-3

Ship separators are designed to maintain separation between vessels to protect them from impact damage. We can build them to almost any size. Typical ones are 40 feet, while custom ones can be as long as 80 feet. LEARN MORE >>

Specialty Applications

1. Army Corps of Engineers Wicket Gates

In addition to our standard products, our experts can deliver custom solutions for highly specialized waterfront applications. Examples of past projects include:

  • Crush blocks
  • Paddle wheels
  • Lock & sector gates
  • Trench covers
  • Wicket gates

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Contact the FRP Experts for Your Waterfront Infrastructure Project Needs Today

Need an FRP solution for your next waterfront infrastructure project? Partner with the experts at Creative Composites Group! Our design and build team has the extensive engineering expertise and industry-leading composite manufacturing capabilities needed to provide the perfect solution for you. To learn more about our product and service offerings, contact us today. To discuss your project requirements with one of our representatives, request a quote.

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