Seawall Repair on Long Island

Seawalls are designed to repel water (ocean, lake, river) as well as contain the neighboring soils, while also being constantly beaten and worn by weather, gravity, rising and falling tides, boat wakes, currents, seasonal water level changes, etc. During heavy rain events, seawalls must be able to “exhale” the newly introduced water in the soils into the adjacent water body. If they are not “exhaled,” extreme hydraulic pressure will be exerted on the seawall. Because water seeks the path of least resistance, it will eventually find a weak area (panel joint, attachment anchor) or eventually crack a panel. In a “worst-case scenario,” the water will exit underneath the seawall panels taking soil with it. This can cause extremely weak soils and evacuate the upper soils at a very rapid pace. And, because the weak soil zones can and do happen at any vertical level in the surrounding, adjacent soils, collapse can occur. More commonly, the soils located directly behind the seawall begin to weaken and create voids.