TooFarTampa
SoWal Insider
SJ -- is that the house of the famous Texan whose house is now too close to the edge of the bluffs, or is that someone else's house? Curious.
Seawalls
- Thread starter Blake
- Start date
-
Trouble logging in? Send us a message with your username and/or email address for help.
I have a few questions. Mainly just for my own education/curiosity's sake.
1. Has anyone heard of instances where a beach was able to either recover, or at least sustain itself (on average) after seawalls/retaining walls were installed? In other words, have there been any success stories that can be cited along an ocean or gulf coast?
2. A complex near us is installing what appears to be about a 50'x15' foot wall made only of granite cinderblocks and mortar. Nothing behind or in front of it. They are covering it with sand today. It seems from reading this thread that without support, a wall is as strong as its weakest link, which in this case would be the mortar? Seems like even a (cheaper) wooden wall with supports would provide better protection that that. I have no idea, I'm just curious from a structural standpoint, that's all. Not making any aspersions here.
1. Has anyone heard of instances where a beach was able to either recover, or at least sustain itself (on average) after seawalls/retaining walls were installed? In other words, have there been any success stories that can be cited along an ocean or gulf coast?
2. A complex near us is installing what appears to be about a 50'x15' foot wall made only of granite cinderblocks and mortar. Nothing behind or in front of it. They are covering it with sand today. It seems from reading this thread that without support, a wall is as strong as its weakest link, which in this case would be the mortar? Seems like even a (cheaper) wooden wall with supports would provide better protection that that. I have no idea, I'm just curious from a structural standpoint, that's all. Not making any aspersions here.
Sueshore said:
i shall assume he did it with furs and diamonds, today is too beautiful to think anything else
katie blue said:
If you mean 50 feet long by 15 feet high by one block thick, that is the most ridiculous wall I have heard of yet, and will not survive the smallest amount of direct wave action.
i've seen it. it's at sand cliffs condo. someone needs to find out if the county issued an armoring permit for this. it is literally a concrete block wall with sand behind it and some type of gravel or drainage rock on top of the sand. absolutely brutal..!!!! 
This was taken yesterday. No, it didn't strike me as very secure as far as walls go, but then I'm no engineer.
To make it easier for those to follow....
SJ said, "If you want to keep something forever, let it go. If you want to lose it quickly, squeeze it tightly until it can no longer breathe (read "seawall")."
I jokingly said, "Tried that with my wife. She's still around."
You then said, "....2) bmbv, are you saying you tried to suffocate your wife?"
Don't you just love twisted humor? Glad to see you got both inferences, not just the obvious one. Just a "test" to gauge the reasoning ability of my ...... naw..... forget it.....
It was just a joke, that's all. Thanks SJ for putting that one in my lap!!
BTW if I could catch 'em, I'd eat more of them!
(fingers go tap tap tap tap tap)
SJ said, "If you want to keep something forever, let it go. If you want to lose it quickly, squeeze it tightly until it can no longer breathe (read "seawall")."
I jokingly said, "Tried that with my wife. She's still around."
You then said, "....2) bmbv, are you saying you tried to suffocate your wife?"
Don't you just love twisted humor? Glad to see you got both inferences, not just the obvious one. Just a "test" to gauge the reasoning ability of my ...... naw..... forget it.....
It was just a joke, that's all. Thanks SJ for putting that one in my lap!!
BTW if I could catch 'em, I'd eat more of them!
(fingers go tap tap tap tap tap)
kurt said:
On the surface you're probably right.
However, wave action probably won't be the culprit (if there is one). It's going to be hydrostatic pressure from behind.
Question to those that saw this wall first hand.... Did you see what type (if any) anchors were used behind the wall? If so what type and approximate spacing. Also, does anyone have any idea HOW DEEP the wall goes below grade?
I'm sincerely curious as everyone knows that I'm a retaining wall connoisseur.
Honestly, I would very much appreciate if you guys are there again, if you could take a picture behind the wall. Also, if you can, nose around and ask the depth below sea-level (that's also important).
My first instinct is that I can't imagine why anyone would put a wall like that when sheet pile (composite, vinyl, even steel) is probably stronger that a block wall and definitely more main stream. If some how they did run lots of rebar inside the block and filled with concrete AND used proper anchors, then it might stand a chance.
TIA very much !!!!!
aquaticbiology said:
I was going to. But I spent all my money on sand and retaining walls!!!
Here's a couple more photos that detail it a little more. From what we saw, there was just sand being pushed behind it. They were putting the blocks up in a row, then placing a (steel?) bar in an existing groove in the blocks, then adding a new row of blocks on top.