Ports and Harbors

Group Delta Consultants has provided geotechnical services to the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on a continuous basis for more than 20 years. These services included field investigations, laboratory testing, engineering analyses of field and laboratory data to develop the soil classification, strength, compressibility, pavement design, and corrosivity properties, and making recommendations for pile design, slope stability, wharf construction, dredging, liquefaction, seismic design criteria, pavements and other infrastructure. Our recommendations of cost-saving solutions such as the use of surcharge, wick drains, dynamic compaction and stone columns have saved the Ports millions of dollars in pile foundation costs.

Take a look at some of the Port and Harbor projects we've worked on below or you can also download our statement of qualifications (SOQ) to provide geotechnical services to the Ports in our SOQs Downloads section.

TraPac Terminal, Port of Los Angeles

The Port of Los Angeles upgraded the existing backland areas at Berths 134-147, TraPac Terminal. For this project, Group Delta Consultants conducted geotechnical investigations for a total of 8 separate buildings and two bridges. The project also included conducting a vibration study analysis for the Administration Building in the TraPac Terminal to monitor the magnitude of vibrations and noise at various distances from rail tracks due to the passage of trains, and to provide recommendations to the Port for determining the minimum distance of the Administration Building from the rail tracks. The key project issues were soft soils, liquefaction, and lateral spreading. The project included recommendations for design of buildings on pile and mat foundation. The project designs were approved for construction by City of Los Angeles Building Department.

Pier S Backlands, Port of Long Beach

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Group Delta Consultants was retained to perform geotechnical investigations for five buildings, pavements, and a number of retaining walls for the Pier S Backlands at the Port of Long Beach. The Pier S Backland is being developed for use as a container terminal. 

Group Delta developed geotechnical recommendations for design and construction of a maximum 25-ft high welded wire mesh MSE wall. Key geotechnical issues addressed were settlement and static / seismic stability of the embankment.  We also performed a geotechnical investigation along the proposed wharf.

San Nicolas Island Pier

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Group Delta Consultants conducted a Marine Geotechnical Survey for the US Navy for the preliminary design of an open ocean pier at San Nicolas Island in the Santa Barbara channel offshore the Southern California coast. As part of our service, we provided two alternatives piles for foundation design in the shallow bedrock area. Our subsurface exploration consisted of drilling borings drilled by using a submersible sea floor-supported rock coring drill rig operated by divers. Use of underwater rock coring rig saved the Navy over $100,000 compared to the use of a normal drill ship.

Naval Station Pier Replacement

The U.S. Navy upgraded berthing facilities at NAVSTA San Diego by constructing a replacement pier for existing Piers 10 and 11. 

Group Delta Consultants performed a geotechnical investigation for the construction of the replacement pier, dredging of berthing areas, and onshore improvements. We also directed a geophysical survey to identify any fault traces in the vicinity of the replacement pier. Geotechnical recommendations were provided for two-level seismic design of the pier and for large displacement concrete piles driven into dense, sandy Bay Point Formation.

Pier 300 Bulk Terminal, Port of Los Angeles

Group Delta Consultants staff conducted a geotechnical investigation for the Pier 300 Bulk terminal at the Port of Los Angeles.  The project consisted of a modern, one berth dry bulk terminal berthing facility, and preparation of the terminal's backland site for a dry bulk terminal at the Port of Los Angeles. 

We also made recommendations for pile design, slope stability, wharf construction, dredging, liquefaction, seismic design criteria, pavements and other infrastructures, settlement due to coal piles, and railroad ballast design.

The project included a unique freestanding wharf in 72 ft of water with 54 in. pipe piles supporting the wharf.  About 200 54 in. diameter piles with lengths of up to 145 ft were driven with hammers delivering over 350,000 ft-lb. energy to support the wharf.
 

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