CHAPTER XII. 



PIER-HEADS. 



Necessity for strengthening the ends of piers Range along harbour side of piers- 

 Various types of pier-heads Pier-head lights and fittings. 



THE end of a pier, whether during construction or after the 

 work has been completed, is, cceteris paribus, the most vulner- 

 able part of the structure, because it lacks the support which 

 other portions of the work mutually afford each other. It is, 

 moreover, usually placed in deeper water, and subjected to 

 rougher usage, both from waves and from shipping, than any 

 other part of the work. It is, therefore, proper that additional 

 strength should be given to it. This may be done in a variety 

 of ways, according to circumstances. 



If it should be intended to use a pier as a quay for the 

 berthing of vessels, it is desirable that waves, as they pass the 

 pier-head, should be prevented from running along the harbour 

 side of the pier and creating an inconvenient range there. With 

 this object in view, the head may be made to take the form of 

 a right-angled kant or spur, as illustrated by the following 

 sketch (Type A, Fig. 54). 



Light Jiouse 



Harbour Side 



FIG. 54. Pier-head, Type A. 



In cases where range along the harbour side of a pier is 

 unobjectionable, a head of circular form is commonly adopted 

 (Type B, Fig. 55). A round head is less liable to inflict damage 



