Seawall Or Bulkhead Construction by Gulf Coast Dock Masters
All seawalls/bulkheads have one thing in common - they protect your property’s foundation from eroding into the water and keep your property on land where it belongs. Sea walls, also referred to as bulkheads, look different depending on how your waterfront community was designed. Gulf Coast Dock Masters marine construction specializes in repair for on-water homes and commercial properties.
To properly assess the construction requirements for seawalls or bulkheads, the GCDM team fully differentiates and understands the purpose of the two structures. Vertical shoreline stabilization, allowing owners to maximize the efficiency of their waterfront properties, both structures utilize similar construction materials and techniques. Seawalls are structures with two primary functions – to protect the shoreline from wave loads, and to retain surcharge loads and soil behind the wall. Bulkheads are vertical shoreline stabilization structures that only retain surcharge loads and soil behind the load. Moreover, a seawall typically protects frontline waters from wave overtopping, shoreline erosion and storm surges. During storm surge events, some waterfront properties are subject to considerable wave activity, even if they aren’t exposed to wave action for most of the year.
- The following design and construction elements are usually addressed for a seawall and/or bulkhead design:
• Toe Scour
• Storm Surge
• Wave Overtopping
• Uplift Force Caused by Wave Action
• Direct Wave Force Action
As marine construction specialists, there is no shortage of reasons to hire a professional like GCDM to build such structures. It is just as valid to hire a contractor to inspect and repair both seawalls and bulkheads to maintain their integrity and ensure the safety of all who use them – whether they are for commercial or residential use. A very important factor is the uplift force caused by wave action, but it is often neglected by designers, leading to instability, which undermines the lifespan of the seawall structure. Gulf Coast Dock Masters can help with any project in the gulf coast and gulf south region. Give us a call at Gulf Coast Dock Masters marine construction today for more information. For us, there’s no such thing as a marine construction job that’s too big or too small!
Advantages When Building with Gulf Coast Dock Masters:
Utilizing a highly competitive price structure, we complete projects with an emphasis on the highest quality of work, along with safety being our number one priority.
- Professional Experience: Gulf Coast Dock Masters marine construction believes in solving problems for marine construction by providing best-in-class construction project design, management and execution, with a strong safety record. Gulf Coast Dock Masters has been locally owned and operated since its inception. We offer construction and repair of marine piers as well as associated structures (bulkheads, dolphins and fendering). Additionally, we have extensive experience with loading/unloading mechanical, piping and structural systems employed with marine construction and services.
- Equipment & Team: GCDM owns and operates a maintained fleet of marine construction equipment which includes barges, push boats, cranes, pile hammers, etc. The flexibility GCDM has in owning and operating a majority of the equipment required to perform many different types of marine projects along with Gulf Coast Dock Masters marine construction specialized labor force allows for more control of the project and schedule. GCDM is able to supply additional equipment, labor, or reconfigure work schedules to accommodate unforeseen site demands or changes in work.
- The Finished Product: Gulf Coast Dock Masters focuses on the marine construction market along the Gulf Coast with an emphasis on serving both public and private clients. Utilizing a highly competitive price structure, we complete projects with an emphasis on the highest quality of work, along with safety being our number one priority.
