From concept to completion, BSM Engineering designs beautiful waterfront marine projects turning shorelines into new places of interest. Our experience and capability span a vast array of the waterfront marine engineering industry.  Combining civil, structural and geotechnical engineering disciplines necessary to design, permit and construct marine facilities allows us to support small craft recreational marine infrastructure, deep draft ship terminals and their berthing and fendering systems (dolphins, bollards, energy dissipating devices), and in-water transportation and energy infrastructure (coffered bridge piers, concrete/earth dams, dikes and jetties).

Our approach incorporates methods that minimize the impact on the surrounding environment while balancing aesthetics with sound, efficient engineering.

Docks, Piers and Wharfs

• Full-service design and engineering for marine facilities related to commercial, recreational and small-craft vessel infrastructure
• Design, rehabilitation and retrofit services for floating and fixed-pier marine structures and associated facilities and utilities
• Design of signature yacht clubs, public and industrial facilities involving concrete structures on steel or concrete piles
• Dredging coordination from minus 10 to minus 50 feet of draft at low tide to accommodate small vessels to large ships
• Architecture for small craft marinas, amenities for docks and custom dock building
• Cost-efficient design of cross-section bracing for floating docks using knowledge of the building and bridge industry (patents pending)

Small Craft Marinas

• Partial upgrades as well as new capital facility development
• Planning, preliminary design and cost budgeting services through detailed design and contract document development (plans and specifications)

Deep Marine Foundations

• Driven pipe piles and drilled shafts
• Design of sheet pile bulkhead walls
• Dewatering cells (cofferdams)
• Design of vessel mooring, berthing and fendering systems
• Extensive experience and skill in the design of deep marine foundations to include environmental support services
• Implementation and interpretation of the results of dynamic pile monitoring and capacity determination using our Pile Driving Analyzer (PDA)
• Implementation of sound attenuation systems required when driving large diameter pipe piles

US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Permit Support

The coordination of In-Water Marine Structures with the information presented on the permit applications for USACE permits is a critical aspect of successful Waterfront Marine Engineering projects. While we have the capability to prepare, submit and support the USACE permit effort, we elect to provide leadership & engineering support to our environmental consulting associates who are expert with this sensitive and important project component.

To obtain a Letter of Authorization (LOA) Permit from the US Army Corps of Engineers, regulatory agencies at the local, state and federal levels must be engaged. The approval process typically starts with obtaining approval of a proposed In-Water Work (IWW) project at the local city/county level, often requiring an Environmental Review by the state’s Land Use Board of Approval (LUBA) and making its way through the offices of the US Department of Fish & Wildlife, NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries, established special interest groups, and adjacent property owner’s prior to receiving approval from the USACE.

Typically, the US Army Corps of Engineers are most concerned with Fill and Sedimentation activities produced by IWW construction work efforts. In the Pacific Northwest we have nearly a half dozen fish species (salmon) that are currently protected by the Endangered Species Act, making these permits challenging, and at times difficult to obtain. In Oregon, successful applicants should be prepared to pay a ‘covered water’ lease fee to the Division of State Lands (DSL), be prepared to discuss or negotiate a trade of ‘mitigation property’ and for the permit process to take between 12-24 months depending on site development impacts being proposed.

BSM Engineering typically provides the following services to Environmental Consultants:

• USACE Permit Application Drawings in Required 8.5×11 Submittal Format
• Preliminary Estimate of Driven Pile Project Requirements:
  • Type, Size and Estimated Number of Piles to be used
  • Total Pile Drive Time and Estimated Number of Hammer Blows to Pile
  • Noise/Sound Mitigation Efforts Using Confined Bubble Curtains or Modified Impact Hammer Selection in concert with a Vibratory Hammer, when applicable
• Material Quantity Take-Offs for Volumes of Cut & Fill Anticipated; Pile Volumes through Water Columns; Dredge Removal & Disposal Volumes; Volumes of Armor Stone Placed.
• Development of Pile Driving Plan and Low Impact Development (LID) Plans for Storm Water