This Arcosa Lightweight aggregate provided a unique solution by reducing vertical stresses and minimizing the lateral forces acting on the steel bulkhead wall system. These advantages allowed the design team to downsize the gauge and diameter of the supporting pipe piles, delivering critical cost savings without compromising structural integrity.

Since the 1950s, Port Canaveral has been a vital hub for Florida’s trade and tourism. As part of the port’s 30-year master plan, engineers demolished the outdated CT-3 and designed a modern terminal complex to accommodate some of the world’s largest cruise ships, including Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras. The project scope included a new 188,000-square-foot terminal, a parking garage, and an expanded 1,309-foot berth. Lightweight aggregate played a crucial role in achieving these goals, helping the project stay within its $155 million budget by reducing costs in shipping, placement, and structural systems.

The sheer volume of lightweight aggregate required—approximately 60,000 cubic yards—posed logistical and budgetary challenges. Lightweight aggregate’s low density (35-55 pcf, compared to 95-135 pcf for traditional fill) allowed for reduced shipping and handling costs. The material was transported by rail to Florida, unloaded onto trucks, and then delivered 15 miles to the project site. Because each truckload could carry nearly twice the volume of traditional fill, the number of shipments was reduced by over 50%. This reduction in truckloads streamlined delivery and minimized delays, ensuring construction could proceed efficiently.

Once the material arrived, lightweight aggregate continued to show its advantages. Contractors used standard earthwork equipment—loaders, rollers, and compactors—to place and compact the fill, with no need for specialized machinery. Due to the angularity and gradation of Arcosa’s lightweight aggregates, compaction required fewer passes, optimizing the stability and density of the fill. These efficiencies reduced potential maintenance costs, as the lower applied vertical pressure from the lightweight fill reduced settlement, increasing the durability of the new wharf.

Beyond shipping and compaction, lightweight aggregate helped the project team reduce the gauge and diameter of the steel pipe piles in the bulkhead wall system. The material’s low density and high internal friction angle (over 45 degrees) significantly lowered lateral earth pressures compared to natural fill materials. This allowed the design team to specify smaller and lighter steel components in the wharf’s structural systems, delivering considerable cost savings.

Completed in mid-2020, CT-3 now accommodates the largest cruise vessels, solidifying Port Canaveral’s status as one of the world’s busiest cruise ports. Thanks to Arcosa’s lightweight aggregate, the terminal expansion demonstrates the effectiveness of value engineering and serves as a model for future projects requiring secure land creation over water. Lightweight aggregate’s low density, high durability, and cost-saving advantages make it an ideal choice for similar projects, whether creating stable land from open water or reducing lateral support costs for other geotechnical applications.