Designing a boat dock and boat house
Designing a boat dock and boat house
(OP)
I have researched many web sites, design examples and code books, but really couldn't find any applicable and helpful references for designing a boat dock and boat house.
These structures will float on the water and move up and down depending on the water level, so flood load really doesn't affect these structures.
However, in flash flood, the water velocity will become faster and may affect these structure any way (but don't know exactly how and how much).
If you know of textbooks, design examples, web sites, or code requirement (if applicable) which will help on designing a boat dock and boat house, could you share the information?
Thank you so much in advance.
These structures will float on the water and move up and down depending on the water level, so flood load really doesn't affect these structures.
However, in flash flood, the water velocity will become faster and may affect these structure any way (but don't know exactly how and how much).
If you know of textbooks, design examples, web sites, or code requirement (if applicable) which will help on designing a boat dock and boat house, could you share the information?
Thank you so much in advance.






RE: Designing a boat dock and boat house
I like to debate structural engineering theory -- a lot. If I challenge you on something, know that I'm doing so because I respect your opinion enough to either change it or adopt it.
RE: Designing a boat dock and boat house
I doubt if you will be able to get too much published guidance on the engineering design of a floating dock / boathouse. They are very site specific with consideration for soil properties (if piling are used), depth of water, expected water level fluctuation, intended use, and the extreme conditions you pointed out. Often floating docks are not really designed, they are constructed by marine contractors who have experience with what is satisfactory in their area.
www.SlideRuleEra.net
www.VacuumTubeEra.net
RE: Designing a boat dock and boat house
A confused student is a good student.
Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, PE
www.medeek.com
RE: Designing a boat dock and boat house
Current can definitely influence the design if you're in a river. Around here if you design for a 100 year flood event, current velocity can be on the order of 6 ft/sec. AASHTO 3.7.3.2 has a section on stream loading that you can apply to the floats / submerged portion of the structure.
The City of Portland has it's own code related to floating structures (Title 28). This may at least give you some general guidance:
http://www.portlandonline.com/Auditor/index.cfm?c=...
RE: Designing a boat dock and boat house
RE: Designing a boat dock and boat house
RE: Designing a boat dock and boat house
http://wahoodocks.com/docks-101/
RE: Designing a boat dock and boat house
RE: Designing a boat dock and boat house
Thank you for the link and the reference book.
SlideRuleEra
Thank you for the photo and advice.
My dock and house are a lot different than the photo.
I was thinking of using pile system with pile rollers, so the structures are allowed to move up and down according to water elevation changes. However, the piles can't be drilled into bedrock, but just sit on the bedrock, so those piles don't have tension capacity. This meant when the dock is lifted, piles can be pulled out because of no tension capacity.
I am collecting design factors under extreme conditions now, that's why I posted here and begged idea of other engineers.
RE: Designing a boat dock and boat house
The site is not at ocean, there's no wave action. However, flash flood makes big impact on the design I believe. Thanks for your input.
cessna98j
Thank you so much for the link and information.
I'm still reading the web link and AASHTO, and they shall be very helpful to my design.
100yr flood average design velocity here is 6.8 ft/sec, so here's a little bit higher than there.
Thank you again!
RE: Designing a boat dock and boat house
RE: Designing a boat dock and boat house
Fortunately, these structures will be floating on river, not ocean. I may not think of wave action, but water load (AASHTO) seems big enough to consider very carefully.
Thanks for your input.
shepherd
The site is not at ocean, but river.
However, any information can be helpful to me, so very thanks to your input.
cancmm
One of big scopes of this design is connection design.
All connections have to survive after all applicable loads.
Thank you for the input.
RE: Designing a boat dock and boat house
Playswow
Wahoo docks has very good presentation of anchoring systems and other information.
Thank you so much for your help!