Our Client, Condon-Johnson Associates Inc., came to PB&A for a VE Design at the Saint Andrews Lift Station in Pismo Beach California.  The design of the wall needed approval from the Army Corp of Engineers.  PB&A’s design was approved and successfully built by CJA, with an outstanding outcome; saving construction costs without sacrificing structural integrity.  Not to mention a fantastic sculpted shotcrete finished aesthetic, enhancing this beautiful part of our state expertly provided by Robert T. Hill Associates.

1. The contract plans indicated placing a temporary soil buttress to stabilize the cut slope during construction, please see Figure 1.

2. This requirement was challenging from the construct-ability point of view. Additionally,  because of the proximity to the ocean, there was the possibility of the buttress being washed away in heavy surf and leaving the excavation exposed.

3. PB&A provided VE by designing V-nails (please see Figure 2) that satisfied slope stability requirements and also provided support for the crane/drill rig pad at the top of the slope.