Is the ground around your seawall starting to cave in? Cracks may be starting to form, or joints may be starting to fail. You may also see voids and sinkholes showing up near your property. If any of these are true, it may be time to repair it. It’s common for bulkheads to deteriorate, because the land side will settle over time. This can happen for a number of reasons — all of which will lead to soil erosion at the joints, as well as cracks in panels or below the toe. Once water makes its way through the bulkhead, the pressure on the other side will pull water into the land side as water levels start to rise. And eventually, it will push it out again as they drop.
How Sinkholes Appear Behind Bulkheads
Bulkheads are there to prevent erosion from occurring along shorelines and to protect properties located near bodies of water. Washout, sinkholes, and erosion are all signs of water infiltration. Water can attack bulkheads through cracks and deteriorated joints, which can be caused by repeated wave action (such as scouring). As water ebbs and flows, it can make its way into openings and pull soil out. This can create subsurface voids that will eventually collapse and bring soil down to water level, where it can be washed out.
The base soil on the dry side of the bulkhead is necessary for support against the water pushing against it. Cavernous subgrades and weak soil can undermine the bulkhead’s integrity, which will cause settlement to occur at walkways. If you want to keep your waterfront property safe and preserve its landscape, you should take care of soil loss and washout problems early.
How to Know if You Need Bulkhead Repair
You can determine if your bulkhead needs to be repaired by doing the following:
- Looking for cracks, seams, and holes in the wall.
- Checking the wood to see if its soft or rotting. You might even be able to poke a screwdriver through a crack to see how deep it goes.
- Checking the condition of your decking. If it’s warped, broken, peeled back, or covered in algae, it needs to be replaced.
- Looking for mounds of dirt appearing in the water. This could be a sign that a sinkhole is forming, which can cause serious damage to your bulkhead.
Bulkheads are often sturdier than they appear. Even if they have small cracks, it may not be a significant problem. But if water is seeping through, it needs to be fixed before more damage occurs to your land or the surrounding area.
Leaning is another problem that can occur with all types of bulkheads — whether it’s made of concrete, wood, or vinyl. This is a clear indication that some or all of the tie-back rods have rotted out. If the piles, walers, and sheeting appear to be in good shape but the bulkhead is still leaking out, your rods are most likely gone. This issue can be repaired, but it needs to be done by a professional. If you don’t do it quickly, the bulkhead will completely fail (which will cause it to fall over).
Steps for Repairing a Damaged Bulkhead
The steps involved for repairing a damaged bulkhead will depend on the material that was used in its construction. If it’s made of concrete, it can be repaired by doing the following:
- Driving a new wall pile in front of the weep hole in the concrete sheeting.
- Digging a trench behind the bulkhead for a new tie-back rod.
- Driving a new deadman pile.
- Installing and tightening a rod through the new wall pile and deadman.
If it’s made out of wood or vinyl, it can be repaired by doing the following:
- Digging a trench behind the bulkhead to expose the broken rod.
- Removing the old rod.
- Inspecting the deadman and installing a new one (if necessary).
- Installing and tightening a new rod.
You want to “pull” the bulkhead back to its original position, so you will have to dig all the dirt out from behind it. You will also need to relieve the pressure of the dirt from behind the bulkhead, so you can move it back in place. There are, of course, many different types of repairs. Most of them are short-term, but there is always a right and wrong way (with very little cost difference between the two).
If you’re bulkhead is damaged and you’re looking for someone who specializes in Corpus Christi foundation repair, be sure to get in touch with Streem Foundation Repair.