Creating a Resilient New Waterfront Neighborhood in San Francisco, Mission Rock Phase 1 Development-PPT Presentation

PPT Presentation

Pdf Summary

Mission Rock is a major mixed-use waterfront development in San Francisco, planned to include 1,400 homes, 1.4 million square feet of office space, retail, and eight acres of parkland. The site was once part of San Francisco Bay and contains loose, undocumented fill over soft Bay Mud, creating risks from earthquakes, liquefaction, and settlement.<br /><br />Ground improvement using stone columns and wick drains was selected to reduce liquefaction-related settlement, with a target of limiting it to 0.5 inches. The design also addressed sea-level rise: projections considered 36 inches of mid-range and 66 inches of high-range rise by 2100, along with groundwater changes and flooding.<br /><br />To raise streets and buildings by 5.5 feet while limiting settlement, the project used lightweight cellular concrete (LCC) as compensating fill. This cement-based, low-density material reduced the load on the Bay Mud while keeping utilities in the soil. Design checks addressed load balance and uplift under future groundwater conditions.<br /><br />Because LCC was a nonstandard material for the city, a technical advisory panel reviewed the design. Approval required a full-scale pilot section, stone columns ending above the Bay Mud, and ten years of street monitoring. The pilot tested the LCC under simulated flooding and measured ground pressure. Construction quality controls included density and compressive-strength testing, while long-term monitoring uses borehole extensometers and piezometers.<br /><br />The project combines ground improvement, lightweight fill, testing, and ongoing monitoring to support a resilient waterfront neighborhood on challenging ground.

Keywords

Mission Rock

San Francisco waterfront

mixed-use development

liquefaction mitigation

stone columns

wick drains

lightweight cellular concrete

sea-level rise

Bay Mud

ground improvement