Puerto Quetzal container terminal is located in the Pacific Coast of Guatemala. Its wharf consists of a pile-supported concrete slab, whose dimensions are 350 m in length and 37.3 m in width, with no expansion joints. 6 longitudinal rows of 1.00 m diameter concrete piles support the slab.

The wharf is designed for the operation of 3 ship-to-shore 1500 tons gantry cranes (STS), although mobile harbour cranes (MHC) are also permitted. Slab top face is placed at level +4.50. In the initial phase, a dredging to level -12.50 will be executed. Under the slab, there is an inclined dike protected with riprap.
In addition to cranes, on the wharf there can also travel reach-stackers and terminal-tractors, and two heights of containers can be stacked.

Transverse distance between piles is about 6.10 m. Longitudinally, distance is 6.05 m, except in extreme rows (situated just below the rails of the STS crane), where it is reduced to 3.025 m due to the high load transmitted by the crane.

The lack of expansion joints results in high deformations and forces in piles and slab caused by shrinkage and temperature variation. Reinforcement has been designed taking into account this effect.

Another critical aspect in the design has been seismic requirements. Design earthquake (DE), whose return period is 975 years, is characterized by a spectrum with a maximum acceleration of 1.32g. Pile reinforcement has been checked by means of a pushover analysis, controlling the strains in the plastic hinges located at the top of the piles and at their embedment under dike surface. The slab is protected with an appropriate reinforcement. The design complies with the specifications of POLA Seismic Code.

Slab dimensions are strongly determined by the construction procedure. Transverse beams are located over the piles each 18.15 m, in the same position as fenders and bollards; 6 continuous longitudinal beams are located over each piles row. Both transverse and longitudinal beams are 1.40 m width and 1.00 m depth. Near the ledge of the wharf, the depth of transverse beams is increased to 1.50 m due to berthing and mooring forces, and the presence of a longitudinal trench for installations, which heavily reduces the effective depth.

A specific construction procedure has been prepared to maximize the use of conventional excavation means, and almost eliminate the necessity of formwork. In a first phase, once piles have been built, the lower half of all slab beams is casted onto ground, and precast concrete slabs are placed next to transverse beams in order to arrange fingers from which a conventional excavator can dredge the soil. Having finished the dredging, and once the dike is properly protected, all precast slabs are put in place, covering all voids used to excavate. Finally, a continuous concrete topping is poured on the precast slabs.