Sunset Road on Vashon Island, Washington, sits on the small island’s western edge in Puget Sound. After a landslide compromised a 70-foot stretch of the slope along the picturesque road, Washington State called in GeoStabilization International® to take stock of the situation.
Within 24 hours of the landslide event, our geotechnical engineering expert was on site and assessing the damage to the slope. A vital component of the initial Washington landslide remediation was to perform a geological survey and determine any additional landslide risks. Due to the loose debris in the landslide area and the slope’s weakened stability, corrective measures could not be pondered without consideration for further rock movement.
After analyzing the data from the scene and considering all risk factors, our engineers put together a design/build solution with a five-year performance warranty, and then our crews got to work. The first decision they had to make was about where to operate: the shoreline below the slope or Sunset Road above the hill. Once the access point was chosen (above the road), the crews utilized our innovative repair methods to remediate the landslide after considering the solution’s environmental impact.
At GeoStabilization International®, we maintain a vibrant research team responsible for developing environmentally friendly and cost-effective solutions for our clients. We’ve invented many proprietary solutions to our industry’s everyday problems, and Sunset Road presented one of those problems. Due to the complex access restrictions, it was paramount to implement a solution quickly to fully open the road to traffic.
Our founders developed our proprietary SuperNails™ technology to handle situations like this Washington landslide remediation in which the slope could still experience a high level of movement during the solution’s installation. The GeoStabilization engineers devised a two-part solution for the slope utilizing the SuperNails™ and facing the slope with high tensile mesh fastened to these innovative soil nail systems.
It was crucial at Sunset Road that our field superintendents communicated with our geotechnical engineers about changing site conditions. Our highly trained field crews could recognize site condition changes which were then transmitted to our engineers, allowing real-time design changes to ensure a satisfactory solution.
Washington State is beautiful, lush, and green, and any landslide remediation techniques must preserve its natural beauty. The last thing anyone who calls Washington home wants to see is a metal mesh covering a hillside, especially on Vashon Island. That’s why our solution for this project encourages natural vegetation growth. In short order, greenery covered the tensile mesh and SuperNails™, providing a subtle, natural appearance while still maintaining the mitigation’s original purposes.
GeoStabilization designers and engineers completed the entire project in two weeks, and Sunset Road opened safely for vacationers and locals alike to continue exploring the Evergreen State.
For high-value, design-build innovation, contact us at 855-579-0536.
If you are interested in a no-obligation site visit to determine if our services fit your geohazard mitigation needs, call us at 855-579-0536 or fill out our contact form.
