Seawall Repair in Seattle, WA

Admin November 5, 2021

A homeowner in Seattle, Washington hired Seawall Repair Network member contractor Ram Jack West to make repairs on their deteriorating bulkhead. Loss of soil caused voids behind the wall, which undermined the stability of the structure resulting in bowing at the midspan and cracks in the concrete. The seawall was only about 30 years old, with plenty of lifespan left if repaired properly.

Repair Materials

The Ram Jack West crew used helical tiebacks, SW-RP1 stabilization/water cut-off material, and pressure release technology to restore the seawall.

Procedures

First, the crew installed the helical tiebacks, which were required due to a failure of the original Deadman Anchor. Next, they injected SW-RP1 stabilization/water cut-off material behind the structure for permanent support. Then, they installed pressure release technology to regulate any hydrostatic pressure caused by future water build-up behind the wall. (In addition, this contractor installed carbon fiber reinforcement on the outside of the wall.)

Results

The result was a permanently stabilized seawall and preservation of the property behind it. The homeowner benefited from a solid solution at about 80% less than the cost of replacement. The patent-pending SRN repair process implemented by Ram Jack West restored the seawall without any damage to the customer’s adjacent property.

Protecting Drinking Water from Potential Flood Contamination

Admin October 6, 2021

Planners at Washington D.C.’s water utility, D.C. Water, decided to take proactive measures against potential flooding of their facility. Located right next to the Potomac, their facility could’ve been at risk in the event of an out-of-the-ordinary natural disaster. Determining that the main risk to the water supply in such a case would be permeation through sub-surface soil, they began installing a metal sheet pile wall deep into the substrate between the riverbank and the facility. However, in some spots, they were not able to drive a sheet pile panel into the ground because of underground utility lines or rocky substrate. The planners called in Seawall Repair Network contractor LJS Waterproofing to create sub-surface grout walls in those spots to fill in the gaps.

Repair Materials

The crew “constructed” these sections of the underground wall by injecting SW-RP1. This repair material permeates the soil, fills small voids in the soil, and cuts off water flow.

Procedures

LJS Waterproofing professionals used a Geoprobe to drive injection pipes into the ground (up to 33 feet in some locations). They then injected one gallon per foot using upward staging. The next injection point was 18 inches away from the first one. This process was repeated until a grout wall formed, filling the gap between the two adjacent underground sheet piles. For a large-scale job like this, they used a PolyShark single component grout pump manufactured by Alchemy-Spetec.

Results

With solid, impermeable grout walls filling in the gaps, a sub-surface barrier between the riverbank and the drinking water facility was now in place. The planners at D.C. Water were very satisfied with this solution.

Lakefront Seawall Repair in Wisconsin

Admin September 22, 2021

The owner of a marquee lakefront property near Genoa City, Wisconsin contacted Phase One Shoreline Solutions regarding their crumbling seawall. There was a 75-foot slope behind the wall, guiding rainwater down into the soil behind the structure. There was no drainage system in place, so the water in the soil created immense hydrostatic pressure over time. If the wall failed completely, the slope behind it would begin to erode into the lake, dramatically affecting the value of the property.

Repair Materials

The contractor repaired the structure with Seawall Repair Network’s SW-RP1, the installation of pressure release technology, and concrete patching and waterproofing coating.

Procedures

The crew began by injecting the high-strength SW-RP1 repair material into the soil behind the wall in order to provide structural support and stop water leaks. Next, they repaired the cracks in the wall with high-performance patching concrete. After that, they installed pressure release technology in order to prevent future hydrostatic pressure build-up. Finally, they coated the entire wall with waterproofing cementitious coating.

Results

The dramatic before and after pictures included in this case study indicate the effectiveness of this repair job. The original strength and appearance of the wall were restored. Safeguards were put into place to alleviate the cause of degradation, thus preventing future damage. The customer emailed the contractor with a simple three-word response to this repair job: “I love it!”

Seawall Repair in the Northeast: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia

Admin September 14, 2021

Many seawalls along the northeastern United States are in a state of disrepair, for a wide variety of reasons. Rising water levels, corrosion, seasonal freeze/thaw cycles, storms, and extreme weather events all contribute to seawall deterioration over time. Properly built seawalls include a drainage system to handle the daily influx and outflow of water from rain, tides, and waves. Over time, these drainage systems can sometimes become clogged. Seawalls without an effective built-in drainage system face a unique problem in that the water has no way to escape except to force its way down and out from underneath the base of the wall. When this occurs, sinkholes will appear alongside the wall.

Seawall Repair Options

Property owners facing seawall deterioration have a few options:

Do Nothing: The problem with this option is obvious – the longer you wait, the more expensive the eventual repair.
Replace the Seawall: Rebuilding a seawall (or even a section of a seawall) can be messy, time-consuming, and expensive.
Repair with Cement Grout: Cement grout seawall repair requires heavy equipment, large drill holes, and the use of weighty cement grout which may sink over time.
Repair with Seawall Repair Network: Seawall Repair Network’s repair process is accomplished with small mobile equipment, proprietary SW-RP1 durable repair material that doesn’t sink, and small drill holes. This procedure is less messy and more efficient than replacing the seawall or repairing it with cement grout.

Seawall Repair Network’s SW-RP1 is stronger than crystalline bedrock. Combined with proper drainage, seawall repair with SW-RP1 can greatly extend the life of the structure.

Environmentally Safe Seawall Repair in the Northeast

Seawall Repair Network’s SW-RP1 has received the official NSF seal of approval for contact with drinking water (this also protects water-dwelling wildlife as well). This designation ensures compliance with the Safe Water Drinking Act (SDWA) and guarantees peace of mind for property owners and propery managers.

Seawall Repair on Lakefront Properties

Admin July 27, 2021

Signs of Seawall Distress

Do you own or manage lakefront property? If so, you may have issues with your seawalls. Check for the following danger signs:

Settled soil near the wall (a sign of water leaking through the wall and eroding the soil on the land side).
Soil deposits near the seams on the waterside of the wall (a sign of water leaks bringing soil through the seams into the lake).
Visible rust-colored cracks or stains in the wall (a sign of water leaking through cracks in the wall and rusting the rebar inside).

SW-RP1 for Lakefront Seawall Repair

High-strength SW-RP1 repair material can be injected through pipes directly into voids and loose soil around your distressed seawall. Seawall Repair Network contractors use material that reacts with moisture in the ground and expands to fill voids while also permeating the soil to form a solid, strong, watertight mass.

Since SW-RP1 is impermeable to water once in place, the likelihood of future erosion is vastly diminished versus refilling the void with other material. This technology has one of the strongest histories of success in the field.

Efficient seawall repair with this material prevents the need for remediation processes that can be harmful to the environment, such as a complete wall replacement or the excavating of all loose soil. SW-RP1 is approved for contact with drinking water once cured in place. So you don’t have to worry any long-term negative environmental impact.

How Soil Instability Causes Seawall Damage

Admin June 9, 2021

Erosion and Soil Loss (Void Formation – Landward Side)

Causation: As seawalls age, soil eventually starts to migrate through the vertical seawall panel joints and weep holes. At the time of original seawall construction, a geotextile filter fabric is installed on the landward side along the panel vertical joints and weep holes. Filter fabric serves the critical function of preventing soil loss into the waterway from the landward side.

An essential point to remember is that seawalls are designed to keep the land in more than to keep the water out. Seawall structures are engineered to allow water to pass through seawall vertical panel joints and weep holes. The engineering concept Equilibrium of Hydrostatic Pressure refers to neutralizing opposing forces caused by water pressure on both the landward side and the opposing waterward side of the seawall structure.

Over time, all filter fabric begins to deteriorate and become ineffective. Once this occurs, soil migration begins to occur during every water event (rain, irrigation, daily tide activity, storm surge, etc.). A slow process initially, soil migration leads to void formations on the landward side of the seawall. Void formations immediately begin to jeopardize the overall stability of the seawall structure. The loss of structural stability leads to unwanted movement of the structure. As the movement of the structure occurs, damage to the seawall cap and panels also occurs, and stress on the seawall tie-rods and deadman anchors will lead to damage or sometimes complete failure of the overall seawall structure.

The Domino Effect (How Soil Instability Causes Seawall Damage)

When considering the relationship between the various causes of seawall damage, simply think of the domino effect in order to clarify the complexities associated with seawall engineering:

Natural forces create a domino effect which causes seawall damage and eventually seawall failure if not mitigated and remedied in time:

Erosion due to filter fabric deterioration leads to…
Void formations behind the seawall, which lead to…
Deterioration of the seawall berm (or supporting soil) leads to…
A build-up of hydrostatic pressure behind the seawall, which leads to…
Damage to seawall the cap, seawall panels, and anchor system, which leads to…
De-stabilization of the entire seawall structure, which leads to…
Seawall failure, which leads to…
Financial loss, wasted time, destruction of property, and STRESS.

Has your seawall been damaged by natural forces? Click the button below to download an info-packed guide to permanent and lasting repair.

Advanced Seawall Repair for Better Results

Admin June 3, 2021

Let’s take an in-depth look at the installation of Seawall Repair Network’s SW-RP1 repair material vs alternative repair options. This process consists of stopping high flow leaks, filling the voids behind concrete structures, and binding loose soil with Seawall Repair Network’s SW-RP1 repair material.

The Problem – Leaking Seawalls

As tidal flows rise and fall, water pushes its way in through cracks, joints, and defects in seawalls. The water pushes in on incoming tides and flows out on outgoing tides. As the water flows out, it carries sand and soil with it, which causes voids to form in the supporting soil, undermining the structural integrity of the seawall. This cycle is exacerbated during periods of heavy rain which continue the outflow of soil.

The Evidence – How to Spot Seawall Deterioration

In landscaped areas, evidence of soil erosion is often quite obvious. You’ll often see small sinkholes developing near the seawall. It’s important to inspect closely underneath tall grass and shrubbery since foliage can sometimes obstruct your view of the damage. Other clues include cracks in concrete slabs near the seawall and piles of sand building up at the base of the seawall on the waterside (if you can manage to get an underwater view). If you’re still not sure, you can use a soil probe to get a feel for the condition of the soil near the seawall.

The Options – Seawall Repair Methods

When it comes to repairing a seawall, you have three main options:

Replace the Seawall

You can tear out the wall (or part of the wall) and replace it. This approach has a few daunting downsides…

Costs more than repair.
Takes up a lot of time.
Requires permits.
Disrupts the site and poses a risk to nearby structures.

Paying for a new seawall is no doubt going to cost more than any kind of repair. A complete rebuild will also take some time. Not to mention the inevitable mess, a good portion of which is likely to end up in the water. The excavation also requires getting a permit, which can eat up a LOT of time.

Repair with Cement Grout (Hydraulic Cement & Slurry)

Some contractors and property owners are still filling sinkholes and trying to plug seawall leaks with concrete. This outdated approach has many disadvantages when compared to Seawall Repair Network’s advanced SW-RP1 material…

Requires a lot of labor and machinery.
Takes up a lot of time.
Uses a repair material that is prone to degradation over time.
Adds unnecessary weight to a seawall that is already under stress.

The amount of labor and machinery required can be quite disruptive. Compared to the surgical approach of installing SW-RP1 repair material, the installation of cement grout can create quite a mess. Needless to say, with all this extra material, machinery and labor – the whole process takes a lot longer than your typical Seawall Repair Network job. Cement grout is known to shrink and degrade over time. Imagine the frustration of paying for an expensive seawall repair, only to see it wash out eventually. And cement that doesn’t wash out can add weight to the structure, causing the surrounding soil to sink again over time.

Repair with SW-RP1

Seawall Repair Network’s SW-RP1 is the proven next-generation technology for effective and long-lasting seawall repair. SW-RP1 offers the following advantages over both excavation and cement grout…

Causes minimal disruption (less labor, equipment, and material required).
Takes up less time (rapidly installed, with a quick return-to-use period).
Does not degrade over time.
Won’t’ cause soil to sink (lightweight high-strength material).
Does not harm the environment (NSF approved for contact with drinking water).

Compared to the typical excavation or cement grout repair crew, a Seawall Repair Network crew will seem like a stealthy ninja strike force. This non-invasive, clean approach to repair allows the property owner to continue using the surrounding area during the process. The property owner can resume activity directly on and directly next to the structure within hours after a repair. Cured SW-RP1 repair material has been rigorously tested for contact with drinking water. So there is no concern about ensuing environmental issues.

SW-RP1 – Environmentally Friendly Seawall Repair Material

Admin May 26, 2021

On seawall repair projects of all scopes and sizes, ensuring environmental safety is mission-critical. That’s why Seawall Repair Network’s SW-RP1 high-strength repair material has the official NSF seal of approval for contact with drinking water. This single designation ensures compliance with the Safe Water Drinking Act (SDWA) and guarantees peace of mind for property owners and managers.

The SDWA helps ensure the water we drink, bathe in, cook with, and use in myriad other ways in daily life is safe for consumption. The federal law was put in place to maintain public health standards for drinking water systems. It defines what is considered a contaminant – both man-made and naturally occurring; and outlines the agencies responsible for regulating, monitoring, and enforcing adherence to the law, primarily the Environmental Protection Agency.

The SDWA gives the EPA latitude to impose criminal and civil penalties on industries not in compliance. In 2014 enforcement efforts policing clean water netted $163 million in penalties and fines, 155 combined years of incarceration for sentenced defendants, and $16 million in court-ordered project clean-ups.

Because so many of those defined contaminants are pertinent to even the most basic construction projects – turbidity from soil runoff, leaching from PVC pipes, potentially harmful and corrosive chemicals, and more – understanding and adhering to the law is particularly important for industry stakeholders. Contractors and engineers must be able to confidently choose vendors whose products and services won’t become the source or cause of drinking water contamination either in the short or long term. NSF certification offers assurance that such problems won’t occur or will, at a minimum, be addressed.

“NSF, an independent, private, not-for-profit, third-party certification organization founded in 1944, has developed numerous health-based certification programs and consensus standards including those that relate to drinking water,” reads an NSF compliance brief. “The purpose of its certification program is to promote public health and enrich the quality of life. Through its Council of Public Health and Health Advisory Board, which includes EPA health professionals, it obtains guidance in developing and maintaining programs and standards. NSF also partners with code councils to ensure ongoing compliance.”

NSF-certified materials are evaluated and lab-tested, and production facilities such as our own are inspected and annually audited for re-testing to maintain certification.

Seawall Repair Network voluntarily undergoing such a rigorous certification process is invaluable to property owners and managers because it provides assurance that, at the end of the day, your seawall repair project is safe and environmentally friendly.

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Seawall Repair & the Consequences of Neglect (Seawall Failure)

Admin May 19, 2021

The Costs of Ignoring Seawall Damage

Ignoring the signs and symptoms of seawall damage will eventually result in the failure of a seawall. Seawall failure is always an expensive event that often affects nearby structures like boat lifts, boardwalks, and pool decks. And the sooner the waterfront property owner acts, the lower the eventual repair costs. But what happens when the signs of seawall failure are ignored?

Signs of Seawall Failure

Loss of adjacent soil.
Cracks in the seawall cap.
Rust stains on the surface.
Tilting or movement of the seawall.
Seawall panel separation.

When these signs of seawall failure are ignored, the result is always the same: deterioration and/or complete seawall failure. Fortunately, a Seawall Repair Network contractor near you is offering advanced seawall repair solutions.

Why Holes Are Appearing in the Soil Behind Your Seawall

Admin May 13, 2021

The Cause of Soil Holes Behind a Seawall

As seawalls age, soil often migrates through the vertical panel joints and weep holes. During construction, a geotextile filter fabric is usually installed on the landward side along the vertical panel joints and weep holes to prevent the migration mentioned above. Over time, however, filter fabric begins to deteriorate and becomes ineffective. Soil migration then occurs during every water event (rain, irrigation, daily tide activity, storm surge, etc.).

Holes Behind a Seawall Indicate Structural Stability Issues

Holes forming behind your seawall are a very big deal and should be considered a red flag that cannot be ignored. A slow process initially, soil migration eventually leads to void formations on the landward side of the seawall. Void formations jeopardize the overall stability of the seawall structure. The loss of structural stability can lead to movement of the wall itself. As the structure slips and moves, damage to seawall caps and panels occur. In addition, resulting stress on the supporting seawall tie-rods and deadman anchors can lead to complete failure of the entire seawall.

If you see holes behind your seawall, you should contact a qualified seawall repair contractor as soon as possible.

Seawall Repair in Seattle, WA

Repair Materials

Procedures

Results

Protecting Drinking Water from Potential Flood Contamination

Repair Materials

Procedures

Results

Lakefront Seawall Repair in Wisconsin

Repair Materials

Procedures

Results

Seawall Repair in the Northeast: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia

Seawall Repair Options

Environmentally Safe Seawall Repair in the Northeast

Seawall Repair on Lakefront Properties

Signs of Seawall Distress

SW-RP1 for Lakefront Seawall Repair

How Soil Instability Causes Seawall Damage

Erosion and Soil Loss (Void Formation – Landward Side)

The Domino Effect (How Soil Instability Causes Seawall Damage)

Advanced Seawall Repair for Better Results

The Problem – Leaking Seawalls

The Evidence – How to Spot Seawall Deterioration

The Options – Seawall Repair Methods

Replace the Seawall

Repair with Cement Grout (Hydraulic Cement & Slurry)

Repair with SW-RP1

SW-RP1 – Environmentally Friendly Seawall Repair Material

Seawall Repair & the Consequences of Neglect (Seawall Failure)

The Costs of Ignoring Seawall Damage

Signs of Seawall Failure

Why Holes Are Appearing in the Soil Behind Your Seawall

The Cause of Soil Holes Behind a Seawall

Holes Behind a Seawall Indicate Structural Stability Issues

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