Most common Seawall material in South Florida due to the locally available aggregate; provides service life of 30+ years if correct mix and proper marine structural design implemented. The following table presents common Seawall construction materials with comments regarding availability, construction issues, and general performance in the marine environment: Concrete: Pile, panel and sheet piling configurations common in South Florida. When building a plank on model, it is essential that everything is sqare and true, and the bulkhead method ⦠Bulkhead Hull Construction Techniques Mike Graff. This is one of the most frequent bulkhead problems that coastal property owners encounter, and there is now new technology to efficiently and inexpensively seal seams and cracks. CAP FAILURE: Cap failure is one of the easier bulkhead problems to detect. Issues with bulkheads deteriorating are common. Cap: Concrete (usually reinforced) box structure which ties seawall together at top. Wave Action: primary cause of berm failure – natural or speeding boats. Provides interlocking seal, and generally easy to install, even in harder substrate. Weep holes can easily become clogged with sand or soil, which restricts the water flow that prevents hydrostatic pressure buildup. Have a qualified installer check the perimeter of your bulkhead for potential failure points. The choices you make can have a big impact on the well-being of everyone that uses the water, as well as on the wildlife in the region. This can be caused by normal aging of the concrete, uneven hydrostatic pressure weakening parts of the structure, or tieback failure where the cap is having to support more than its designed structural load. Sometimes the installation of supplemental helical tiebacks or extra pilings in strategic spots can help to keep panels in alignment and prevent premature deterioration or failure. So as we begin to think about valuation, we must first identify all of the components and their makeup in order to ⦠Is the ground around your seawall caving in? As these areas age and expand, the slabs can eventually break along these lines. Keeping them in mind and doing your best to adhere to them will not only help ensure the long-term enjoyment of your property, but also go a long way toward helping you protect your investment and that of your neighbors. Panel (or Slab): A reinforced concrete rectangle, 6″ thick and 5′ to 8′ wide and 10′ to 16′ long. TOE & BERM FAILURE: Over time the cumulative stress from speeding boats or excessive wave action can cause the supporting berm on the water side of the toe of the bulkhead to deteriorate and give way, allowing the toe to slip outward. In developed areas, itâs also important to note how dense the development might be (for example, a single home versus an entire planned community). Most bulkheads are along the waterfront, and should be evaluated above and below the water, whereas seawalls typically are not exposed to water on a regular basis. Keep your bulkhead in mind when youâre planning your landscape and set a 10â âbuffer zoneâ along the length of the bulkhead. The panels repeat as needed along the length of the property and interlock by means of overlapping or sealed joints. This pressure differential is one of the most common and most manageable causes of bulkhead failure, and it can become especially severe during low tides and unusual storm activity. Once water finds its way through the bulkhead, the pressure of the water side will pull water through to the land side as water levels rise, eventually pushing it out again as they drop, taking the soil away with it. (b) The hull, superstructure, and deck houses shall be subdivided by suitable structural steel or other equivalent metal bulkheads ⦠Riprap (also known in some regions as rip rap, rip-rap, rubble, rock armor or shot rock), is artificially placed rock or similar loose materials to reinforce shorelines, streambeds, bridge abutments, pilings and other shoreline structures against water currents, waves, tides or other natural forces leading to soil erosion. Are cracks starting to form? Original or âas-builtâ Seawall plans can provide a wealth of information including the age of the structure and many of the design elements listed in the above paragraphs. Available in different colors. Construction of Non Watertight bulkheads is now Obsolete. On the outer (water side) face of the panels are âwalesâ or âwalersâ spaced at regular intervals. Revetment: an engineered slope protected by stone, concrete or other mixed materials designed to protect areas of land from wave action and overwash. Visit completed jobs and see if you can visit jobs in progress. Buffer Zone: 10 foot perimeter to prevent excess pressure on the bulkhead from vehicles, lawn and construction equipment, and landscaping features like large trees. construction types), bulkheads, attenuation components, and breakwaters. We diligently adhere to CDC &, Online Video Evaluations are also available. We have installed miles of wooden, fiberglass, and vinyl bulkheads⦠The Tidal Wetlands ⦠Most bulkheads are along the waterfront, and should be evaluated above and below the water, whereas seawalls typically are not exposed to water on a regular basis. The Southern Forest Products Association (SFPA) has published a new 2014 Edition of its âMarine Construction Guideâ. These outer caps and ⦠Holding the panels in place and in vertical alignment is a series of âsoldier pilesâ or âwall pilesâ that may be made of wood, steel or reinforced concrete. Berm: Ground or soil which supports the toe of the bulkhead at the bottom. All bulkheads have a limited life, even if itâs a long one. As part of this innovative approach, we often recommend sealing each joint along the entire length of the bulkhead, to ensure that all problem areas are sealed, but we can also address one specific area if needed. Lamulle Construction is Louisianaâs leading licensed Marine heavy construction contractor, providing residential and commercial waterfront construction solutions including boathouses, bulkheads, docks, piers, and pilings. Here are some suggested things to do and questions to ask before you sign a bulkhead repair agreement: Well, our foundation was repaired this week. Failures next door can quickly lead to unintended (and expensive) consequences on your property. If you have a dock, never store gas, diesel, oil or chemicals there, on any part of the bulkhead, or anywhere inside the 10â buffer zone. When you walk to that side of the house, you don't go downhill. Vinyl does not have this type of problem, which means vinyl bulkheads have a longer lifespan. This can also be caused by failure to properly route storm water away from the bulkhead. Seawalls are constructed of similar materials. Use care when selecting a contractor, and talk with your neighbors and friends about the experiences theyâve had with different service providers. Larger and more complex seawall or bulkhead structures may incorporate some form of intermediate revetment. On top of the regular upkeep concerns that affect every property owner, you also have to protect your investment from tides, wave action and other unique risks that go with life at the edge of a body of water. They effectively seal and fill areas where soils are being washed out, stop the erosion, and restore the strength of the bulkhead panel. May also include rip-rap. Online Video Evaluations are also available. MCS worked with a quality contractor to provide lumber to complete the bulkhead project. Bulkheads Mechanical Research & Design, Inc. is proud to specialize in bulkhead solutions for use in various industries and applications. We offer the most innovative and up to date materials and products such as vinyl seawall sheet piles, large engineered concrete seawall caps, all ⦠MCS ⦠There are many different construction methods, depending on the design ⦠Available in different colors. Still, even with the best technological and regulatory advances, our best experience canât hold back the forces of nature forever, especially when the power of water is involved. Traditional construction materials used for bulkhead projects will start to rust and rot due to the prolonged exposure to water. For Concrete 1. Be careful to keep these materials off of any paved surfaces where they can be washed inside the buffer zone and over the bulkhead. If a Seawall is determined by the marine contractor to be damaged or deteriorated, the original design may not have accounted for the above-listed design considerations. Support pilings may also appear tight against the panels, indicating excessive pressure in that part of the structure. The ocean is a bulkhead⦠Water Line Failure: Horizontal cracks in bulkhead panel material caused by rust, corrosion, or other consequences of extended exposure at the nominal water line. Check out your contractorâs history and credentials. Overwash area: Overwash occurs when storm waters exceed the elevation of the adjacent land and the ocean water flows onshore. We stock only high quality materials from premier manufacturers to ensure the best waterfront construction. Establish a buffer zone of at least 10â along the shoreline and keep all fertilizers, pesticides, fuels or chemicals behind that boundary so that they canât find their way into the water. MODERN CONSTRUCTION METHODS. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Underwater Investigations Standard Practice Manual was released in 2001 for marine contractors and and provides guidance for the evaluation of walls. Find out how long theyâve been in business and ask for references. If youâre just becoming familiar with bulkheads, you might be surprised to learn that theyâre not watertight. Rip-Rap: Large stone or concrete rubble placed at the toe of a bulkhead to support the berm, stabilize its position and prevent or reduce erosion. Meaning they are safe to use on all projects where they may come into contact with water, including drinking water, so they are not harmful to marine life. The deteriorated condition of a wall may also be an indication that the wall is in need of maintenance or that the sea wall construction has fulfilled it’s service life. Bulkhead: straight ⦠So cool! Retaining walls are generally the most basic form of soil stabilization. Wooden bulkheads are the most inexpensive bulkhead ⦠The guide is organized in easy to follow sections so you can skip around to the topics that apply best to your current situation. If you own a boat, keep bilges and decks free of all fuels and chemicals in case of automatic bilge pump discharge. Soldier Pile: A vertical support element, most frequently made of wood or reinforced concrete, that stabilizes the water side of bulkhead panels. Relatively new economical product with service life of 50+ years. This means that our products are able to penetrate more deeply into affected areas of the bulkhead, helping to provide a more complete and reliable seal. The report should be sealed by a registered professional engineer experienced in the evaluation of in service marine structures. Talk with your neighbors about waterside practices and work collaboratively with them to make sure that no environmental threats result from use of docks, boats or personal watercraft use or maintenance. Let our marine contractors expand your waterfront access options. The good news is, Olshan offers a cost-effective method to repair bulkheads quickly. These kinds of waterline breaks can also occur if the tiebacks are not providing evenly distributed support, and continuous hydrostatic pressure may also cause them to crack and separate. Surcharge: Live loads behind the wall such as ground water, runoff, vehicles, structures, etc. Vinyl sheet piling is quickly becoming the most popular product to use for construction of bulkheads and seawalls.