Seawall Construction-Base

[marshallp]

I have been asked to install a concrete seawall on a lakefront property. At present, the plans call for a 12" thick footing at 3 foot below the drained lake bottom. The wall would be 8 1/2 foot tall. I have no data on the subsurface and am getting ready to run as far away from the project as possible. I would appreciate some suggestions (be gentle) on how to proceed. I also have pulled some material together on driving vinyl sheets.

 

[RDK]

First get some geotechnical information.

The geotechnical report will then give you some design parameters so you can proceed.

If the client is unwilling to pay for a geo report then politely decline the commission. There is case law in Canada that says that even if you seal the design with inadequate soil information because the client did not want to pay for this info you are still responsible.

Then take a good look at some of the literature on wind and wave erosion and the forces that they can put on seawalls. I’d start at the US Army Corps of Engineers web site

I have turned down several commissions because the client did not want to spend the money to do it right. If they go ahead and do it wrong and then come to me, my price doubles and then we start talking about the extra work caused by the first attempt.




Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[tincan]

Check with the USDA Soil Conservation Service. They have some very good data on lake wave action. As per Rick, if you dont so a geotech before you build it, you pobably will later.

Best Luck