D
Publish and Present
Marco Sanchez, P.E.
Civil Engineer
Port of Los Angeles
San Pedro, California
Amir Zavichi, P.E.
Civil Engineering Associate
Port of Los Angeles
Raj Varatharaj, P.E., G.E., M.ASCE
Geotechnical Engineer
Earth Mechanics, Inc., California
The Port of Los Angeles (POLA) is a major seaport serving as a gateway to both the Southern California region and the national transportation system. Maintenance and repairs of existing facilities are critical to keep our customers in operation.
Berth 240 was constructed in the 1920s and is home to PBF Energy, one of the eight liquid bulk facilities at the Port. Two 12” fire water lines are located above ground along the seawall and must be serviceable for the terminal to be in operation. The aging timber seawall at Berth 240 has deteriorated gradually along the splash zone due to tidal action and the harsh marine environment. Consequently, gaps formed in the seawall and the soil behind the wall washed out. Due to this soil loss, localized subsidence (sinkholes) developed and created safety risks to the daily terminal operation.
This paper will discuss the challenges and opportunities the Port encountered during the design and construction of the Berth 240 A, B, and C Seawall Repair and Backland Improvement project within an operating oil terminal. The designed rehabilitation included bulkhead wall repair, slope reinforcement and stabilization, and grout injections to fill voids and to compact the soil behind the seawall. The repair will extend the life of the existing seawall approximately 10 years. POLA performed a value engineering analysis and used a state-of-art polyurethane grout injection method that has a potential cost and time saving. The method minimized the risk in interrupting terminal operations and is considered safe for use in marine environments, complying with stringent state regulations. This project is a prototype at POLA and can act as a corner stone in future design projects that include underground voids in their scope.