Discussion. Special Features of the Civil Engineering Works at Aberthaw Power Station.

Abstract

(Vice-President), in opening the discussion, said that he had been invited to speak by the Authors, whom he had known for many years. One was on each side of the fence and, in the words of the Psalmist, 'How blessed it is, brethren, to dwell together in unity'.142. This was a most exciting Paper, and the caisson itself had strong traces in its design of a 'Rendel Palmer' or even a 'Cuerelian' touch, whereas the method of execution, including the use of segments, looked very much 'Nuttallian'. Perhaps something could be said by the Authors on this conjecture. 143. The Paper sprang, he thought, from a suggestion made in the Publications Committee of having a symposium on all the various different intakes of cooling water for atomic power stations. The problem was the same whether it was a refinery or power station or any other means of getting water out of the sea. With all the many different types which were in use and going to be used, and with the conditions varying so much with so many things-whether the ground was rocky or soft, the range of tide and buoyancy-all of which could make violent differences in design, it was obvious that a book could be written on the whole question.144. Mr Harding had done a little work at sea in the past and was qualified to make two comments. In working in the sea there was no such thing as temporary works. They were either permanent or transitory! Secondly, there was the importance of moorings. A paper on this question would be of value. If there were serious mooring problems, it was as well to have a nautical man on the job and not to try to invent ways to do it oneself.145. In the description of the landing pads it was stated that a tank landing craft was used for lifting and lowering, and apparently it stood by to do the grouting and other operations.146. These tank landing craft had been a most useful form of war-time surplus equipment. Mr Harding recalled buying one, together with a 304011 crane ship, for €12 000 each, in full working order. But to buy a new one would cost about €120 000.147. A lot of work of this sort in the sea could be done more easily if there were expensive self-propelled lifting craft and other craft available which might entirely alter a lot of the methods used; but such craft did not exist and in any single intake there was not enough money to spend on plant of such magnitude which. if it existed, could go from intake to intake and spread the cost over all. If there were some speculative millionaire who would build some such craft to a civil engineer's specification, it would be a great help and might eventually pay for itself.

Obituary: Peter Fraenkel 1915–2009

“…He was resident engineer on the ore unloading terminal at Tyne Dock and then worked in the firm's head office in London, becoming a partner in 1961 and senior partner of Rendel & Partners in Australia in 1969. While with RPT he was co-author of two medal-winning papers in the ICE Proceedings: 'Special features of the civil engineering works at Aberthaw Power Station' (Fraenkel, 1962), for which the Telford Gold medal was awarded, and 'Port Talbot Harbour, planning and design' (Fraenkel, 1970), for which he received the James Watt Medal. Both of these papers were highly praised by his peers in the Institution and the papers and subsequent discussion on them make interesting and informative reading to this day.…”