Open piers and wharves are pile-supported platform structures where water is allowed to flow underneath. Solid piers and wharves use retaining structures, such as anchored sheet pile walls, behind which a fill is placed to form the working surface. This prevents the flow of water underneath the pier or wharf.

How is a wharf constructed?

When executed on the shore line, the wharf can be made as a concrete deck on piles with a slope protected by revetment below the deck. When executed into the sea, the wharf can be made of a combi wall retained by anchors into a reclaimed platform.

What are wharves made of?

A wharf is a structure built along the shore – parallel to the shore – while a pier sticks out into the sea, it is perpendicular to the shore. While piers are mostly made of wood, wharfs are made of concrete or stone.