The Lower Harbor Ore Dock, owned by the City of Marquette, Michigan has not been in operation for nearly 50 years. The city proposed an assessment of the structure for insight into possible future reuse opportunities.

GEI completed a structural and conditional analysis of the Lower Harbor Ore Dock. The project posed many challenges to complete a full assessment of the structure, including the 80-foot-tall structure with no access to the top, deteriorated wood decking on available stairs, and underwater inspections in and around wood pilings.

Our team completed a sub-surface underwater inspection to assess the wood piles supporting the dock itself. Although some piles were deteriorated and not plumb, they were in overall good condition. GEI also performed an inspection of the superstructure above the water, including the floors, beams, ceilings, columns, braces, and additional elements. GEI used rope access techniques to climb the dock and inspect the upper parts of the structure, such as the chutes and their lifting systems.

Overall, this assessment showed that the Ore Dock was in good condition. GEI recommended the City should scale loose concrete from the structure and patch sections with exposed rebar. GEI also suggested removing timbers and debris from the structure and its ore chutes and continuing to monitor and inspect the Ore Dock every five years.