Oakland, CA

Jack London Square Boardwalk

Scope/Solutions

The boardwalk along Oakland Estuary is a central attraction of the Jack London Square entertainment and business area.  After leasing a section of the boardwalk from the Port of Oakland, the developer wanted to assess the condition of a portion of the boardwalk.  SGH was the prime and structural engineer for the assessment and subsequently developed a rehabilitation program for the Area 8 walkway that is cantilevered from the side of the concrete pier and supports Scott’s Seafood restaurant.

Our investigation included a survey of the boardwalk on foot and by boat. We observed and concluded that:

  • The plank condition created a walking hazard due to warping, shrinkage, loose nails, and large gaps
  • Cantilevered steel tube beams exhibited corrosion and section loss
  • Spalls and cracks in supporting cast-in-place concrete beams and precast concrete piers was attributed to reinforcement corrosion due to chloride contamination

 

We developed a rehabilitation program and our work included:

  • Testing of repair techniques with input from in-house materials scientists
  • Specifying replacement of wood planks and joists with pressure-treated lumber
  • Designing a new restraint system parallel to the boardwalk to increase seismic resistance
  • Estimating extent of corrosion and evaluating the remaining beam capacity at Area 8 to support design loads
  • Estimating extent of beam corrosion prior to repair of Area 8 using ultrasonic testing along with destructive testing and recommending the drainage of seawater that filled the tube beams through erection holes and sealing of beams to minimize further deterioration
  • Providing order-of-magnitude and detailed cost estimates
  • Reviewing contractor submittals, drawings, and specifications and performing structural observations for Area 8

Project Summary

completion-date

2012

Completion Date
Solutions
Repair & Rehabilitation
Services
Structures | Applied Science & Research
Markets
Infrastructure & Transportation
Client(s)
Cushman & Wakefield Inc.
Specialized Capabilities
Repair & Strengthening | Marine & Civil Works | Materials Science