Seawall Repair – Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri

A homeowner on the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri reached out to Seawall Repair Network member contractor RT Construction after noticing soil erosion behind their seawall. This particular seawall was constructed with stacked stones that had been mortared together. Over the years, some of the stones broke loose and fell out, leaving gaps in the wall. Water poured through these gaps and eroded soil on the landward side of the wall, creating large voids behind the structure. In addition, the old drainage system that had been installed with the wall in order to prevent water buildup on the landward side was no longer working.

Repair Materials

The primary repair material used by Seawall Repair Network contractors is SW-RP1. This material is ideal for stabilizing soil, filling voids, and stopping leaks. Once a seawall is airtight, it’s important to install panel filters to prevent hydrostatic pressure from building up on the landward side due to accumulated rainwater. Panel filters allow water in the soil to drain through to the other side of the wall in a controlled manner.

Procedures

On the landward side of the wall, the crew began by inserting a half-inch injection rod to a depth of about 1 foot below the mud line (the point at which the bottom of the lake intersects with the seawall). SW-RP1 was then injected, the rod raised a little, more material was injected, and so on until that area behind the seawall was stabilized. This process was repeated every few feet along the back of the wall until the entire 100 foot seawall was reinforced and sealed up. Next, the crew installed panel filters between each injection location, allowing for water drainage into the lake and preventing any future damage from hydrostatic pressure.

Results

This entire repair job on all 100 feet of the seawall was completed in only two days. The property owner could see the visible improvements (sealed holes in the wall, filled voids in the soil, brand new panel filters installed) and was very happy with the results.

Seawall Repair in Carrollton, GA

A homeowner on a private lake in Carrollton, Georgia contacted Seawall Repair Network looking for a way to save their failing seawall. A representative from member contractor Ground Consolidation Solutions promptly arrived to perform a free assessment. There was significant soil loss on the land side. In addition, the seawall itself was starting to shift due to a buildup of hydrostatic pressure.

Repair Materials

SW-RP1 repair material and hydrostatic pressure control panels were used to stabilize the seawall and prevent any further shifting.

Procedures

Given that there were two separate issues occurring, a two-pronged repair approach was in order. First, the crew backfilled the soil voids with coarse river sand, then they injected SW-RP1 repair material from the bottom of the seawall up to the top. This ensured that all of the leaks were sealed off. In addition, the SW-RP1 resin permeated the soil, creating a solid mass to add structural support. Next, the crew addressed the hydrostatic pressure issue. Hydrostatic pressure occurs when groundwater on the soil side builds up and has nowhere to escape, putting undue pressure on the seawall. To alleviate this pressure, the crew installed panel filters every 6 feet, along the face of the seawall just above the average water line. The filters allow water to pass through from the landside without any soil loss.

Results

This process took only two days to complete and was completed for a fraction of the cost of seawall replacement.

Seawall Repair in Greensboro, GA

A homeowner on Lake Oconee (located in Greensboro, Georgia) contacted the Seawall Repair Network looking for a solution to the soil loss issue occurring behind their seawall. A crew from member contractor Ground Consolidation Services promptly arrived to perform a free assessment. The problem was quickly diagnosed and a repair plan was devised on the spot. Even though seawalls on lakes aren’t subject to the tidal action that coastal structures are, wakes from boat and jet ski activity cause the same erosion and soil loss issues. This particular seawall was in great shape and the backyard leading down to it was pristine, however, soil loss on the land side of the seawall was putting that situation in jeopardy. When the homeowner learned that the soil issue could be remedied with no excavation, his next question was, “when can you start?”

Repair Materials

The Ground Consolidation Services crew used SW-RP1 seawall stabilization and leak seal material on this job. This durable, environmentally friendly material is ideal for restoring waterfront structures.

Procedures

The crew began by backfilling the void areas with coarse river sand. They then injected SW-RP1 from the toe of the seawall up to the surface. They sealed off all the areas where the soil was being lost under the seawall and permeated the sand on the land side, creating a solid soil mass. As a precaution, they placed a turbidity barrier in the water to catch excess cured repair material, which is NSF approved for contact with potable water.

Results

This process took less than one full day to complete and the homeowner couldn’t have been more pleased!

Repairing a Marina Seawall in Venice, Florida

Depressions behind 655 linear feet of marina seawall, settling walkways, boardwalks, captain’s walks, voids in asphalt roadways, cracking concrete, sinking boat cranes, and premature failure of infrastructure are just a few things that the Crows Nest Marina in Venice, Florida reached out to us for help with.

Helicon (of Tampa Bay/Saint Petersburg, Florida) is a Seawall Repair Network preferred marine contractor. They were called to the marina and immediately performed a comprehensive seawall assessment and overall geotechnical evaluation. Helicon’s crew examined all of the damage caused by soil erosion, soil migration, soil sheering, and void formations related to the seawall.

The technicians identified the aging seawall as the root cause of most of the damage. Specifically, the seawall was allowing soil on the landward side to migrate into the water through defects in the structure. Subsequent soil instability on the landward side then caused damage to ancillary structures (i.e., roadways, concrete, boat cranes, and some of the buildings).

Repair Materials

The crew repaired the structure with Seawall Repair Network’s proprietary repair material SW-RP1. This high-strength resin is environmentally friendly and ideal for filling voids, stopping leaks, and stabilizing the supporting soil around seawalls.

Procedures

Helicon technicians executed Seawall Repair Network’s proprietary seawall stabilization process to restore strength and integrity to the structure.

Once the seawall was permanently stabilized and sealed to prevent further soil erosion, the Helicon team then addressed the remainder of the marina’s infrastructure repair needs (i.e., slab lifting, void filling under slabs, etc).

Results

In the end, the team at Helicon was able to provide permanent solutions that were critical for the preservation of the property. And they were able to provide this service at about 70% to 80% less than the cost of replacing the damaged structures.

Repairing a Sheet Pile Seawall in Great Neck Long Island

An engineer contacted Seawall Repair Network contractor LJS Waterproofing regarding a 260 linear foot sheet pile seawall with severely corroded steel. Obvious loss of soil and voids were noted.

Repair Materials

LJS used SW-RP1 seawall repair material on this job. SW-RP1 transforms the surrounding soil of your seawall into a water-tight impermeable mass, which blocks the transference of energy and lateral stress caused by the typical build-up of hydrostatic pressure behind the seawall.SW-RP1 is environmentally safe and is certified to NSF (61-5) standards for contact with drinking water.

Procedures

Voids were filled with dirt, rock, and sand before LJS Waterproofing, using the Seawall Repair Network proprietary installation process, drove pipes down every 5’ along the steel seawall. Using upward staging, LJS injected 10 gallons of SW-RP1 seawall repair material per pipe.

LJS Waterproofing, using grinders, removed barnacles, marine life, and metal corrosion. Pressure release valve holes were drilled using magnetic drill presses after which the first coat of primer was applied to prevent future rusting. A final coat of primer was then applied and the pressure release valves were installed.

Results

The voids around the seawall were filled, the leaks were sealed, the metal seawall surface was restored, and the pressure release system was successfully installed. After an efficient and thorough restoration job, the sheet pile seawall was once again functioning at full capacity.

Repairing a Wooden Seawall in Florida

Residents next to Lake Padgett in Land o’ Lakes, Florida contacted Seawall Repair Network contractor Helicon regarding 650 feet of leaking wooden seawall. Depressions were appearing in the land behind the wall, holes were appearing in the wall, and soil was leaking through the wall into the lake. Initially, the residents just had the soil voids and depressions filled with more dirt. This solution didn’t last long, however, as the new soil eventually leaked through the wall and the depressions reappeared. If left untreated, this problem would have continued to erode the lakeside property and would have eventually become a threat to houses and structures near the water.

Wood Seawall Repair Materials

The crew applied the Seawall Repair Network’s proprietary SW-RP1 repair material to stabilize the surrounding soil, fill the holes and voids, and stop the leaks.

Procedures

Helicon used Seawall Repair Network’s custom repair process and installation techniques to completely stabilize the wooden seawall and preserve its components. A barrier was installed to prevent the environmentally-friendly foam from floating out into the lake and all excess material was removed.

Results

The entire 650-foot stretch of failing seawall was stabilized and sealed for the long term with high-strength SW-RP1 seawall repair material.

Video from the Job Site

Seawall Repair in Long Beach, New York

Hurricane Sandy was devastating for much of the Northeast United States.  Many waterfront property owners are still recovering, and their seawalls, bulkheads, and revetments are still in need of repair and remediation.  The need for innovation and effective solutions has never been greater.

Seawall Repair Network contractor LJS Waterproofing answered the call recently and deployed to Long Beach, New York to save a waterfront property from further damage.  The Long Beach property was in danger due to an aging seawall that had begun to move, shift, and become damaged.

The crew applied the Seawall Repair Network’s patent-pending process, materials, and installation techniques to completely stabilize the seawall, and to preserve its concrete and steel components.  Upon completion of the Long Beach, New York project the customer stated, “This turned out so much better than expected.  I will certainly refer you to my neighbors and friends.”