Seawall Dewatering Device Installation

Prevent The Leading Causes of Wall Failure: Excessive Buildup of Hydrostatic Water Pressure and Soil Erosion

Why do retaining walls fail?

Lack of proper drainage is the most common cause of retaining wall failure. Drainage and soil filtration is vital to designing walls and maximizing their service life. Retaining wall drainage systems serve two functions. First, they drain the water (hydrostatic) pressure from behind the wall, and, second, they stop soil from eroding through the drains (soil filtration).

When drainage systems clog and fail, excessive water (hydrostatic) pressure builds up on the retaining wall. Eventually, the retaining wall will show signs of distress. Maintainable weep hole filters are the perfect solution.

Water Always Wins:

Water always seeks the easiest path to flow. Therefore, drainage systems must always be the “easiest path”. Traditional retaining wall drainage systems are installed behind the wall, and buried under the soil.

Over time, drainage performance decreases as soil particles begin to clog the filter fabric. Once clogged, the drainage system stops being the “easiest path”. At this point, water will find another path or backup behind the wall. Fixing failed drainage systems buried behind the wall require costly excavation.

What Are Maintainable Weep Hole Filters?

Thaler Contracting Inc offers maintainable weep hole filters that improve drainage and soil filtration to extend the life of Retaining Walls, Seawalls, and Bridge Infrastructure.

Maintainable weep hole filters by JET Filter System provide drainage and soil filtration. Installed through the front of any new or existing retaining wall, maintainable weep hole filters help prevent failure as they reduce water pressure and prevent soil loss. Most importantly, Maintainable weep hole filters are always easily maintained, they can extend the life of your valuable investment.

Weep hole filters can be installed on seawalls, bulkheads, bridge abutments, wing walls, stormwater channels, box culverts, dam spillways, and even underground parking garages. They are the perfect solution for concrete walls, all types of sheet piles (steel, vinyl, aluminum, composite, etc), MSE walls, and even wooden walls.

The Solution

Earth Retaining Structures (ERS) are failing daily due to clogged or insufficient drainage systems. JET Filter System will help protect your investment and avoid costly repairs. Our services include:

• Retaining Wall Drainage
• Easy Installation and Maintenance
• Cleanable / Replaceable Filter Cartridges

Request, a free service quote today. We ensure that you will receive a complete estimate within 1-2 business days.

Types of Construction

Concrete Seawalls - A lack of erosion control that causes sinkholes is a vital issue with a concrete seawall design. One common problem is wall movement in addition to tieback/whaler tension, toe failure, horizontal cracking, panel separation, and stress. Other considerations are wave forces, toe scours, wave overtopping, and storm surges.

Sheet Piling - Vinyl Sheet Piling, Z Type Steel Sheet Piling, FRP Composite, and Aluminum Sheet Piling Interlocks sheet pile structures will experience the build-up of significant hydrostatic water pressure, a vital issue for a sheet piling design. JET Filter components are made in the USA and are compliant with the Buy American Clause.

Bridge Abutments - Proper maintenance and inspections can also help avoid major disasters. Water run-off without drainage may weaken bridge abutments and wing walls by eroding the material that supports the structure. Furthermore, poor drainage may cause considerable challenges by settling behind the wall and saturating the soil with incredible pressure.

Flood Control Channels - Trapezoidal concrete-lined channel structural problems are indicated by cracking, exposure of reinforcing bars, and large areas of spalled concrete along with soil loss from existing weep holes. Even if the spillway or flood control basin is in good structural condition, seepage under the spillway or erosion at the outlet or along the sides can cause the spillway to fail. Spillway/basin floor slabs and walls should be checked for the erosion of underlying base material known as undermining.

Wooden Bulkheads - Proper venting of the wooden bulkhead is absolutely paramount, as water will enter the wall from rain, runoff, irrigation, etc. Forces of nature and physics all work symbiotically to create a fully functioning wall assembly that vents properly and this action maintains the soil density behind the bulkhead. The purpose of installing weep holes in a wooden bulkhead will relieve the hydrostatic water pressure that may settle or rest behind the wall.

MSE Retaining Walls - The life expectancy of a retaining wall can be increased simply by adding sufficient drainage. Dry soil may provide little stress on a retaining wall, however heavy soil without proper retaining wall drainage may cause the wall to buckle or lean.