Flood Channel Bank Stabilization Innovation: Pressed-in Sheet Piles in Southern California-Paper

Paper

Pdf Summary

The Fullerton Creek Channel A03 Phase IIA Improvement Project in Buena Park, California, upgraded flood protection to accommodate a 100-year storm. The work involved installing approximately 3,431 linear feet of AZ 26-700 steel sheet piles, 38–45 feet long, along the channel’s north and south walls.<br /><br />Because the alignments ran close to homes and businesses, Orange County selected hydraulic press-in piling to minimize noise, vibration, and disruption. Unlike conventional impact or vibratory driving, the press-in method uses reaction force from previously installed piles to push each new pile into the ground. The site’s generally soft soils allowed installation in standard mode without water jetting or augering. Two press-in rigs worked simultaneously to meet the schedule.<br /><br />Construction faced limited access and interruptions where the walls were divided by an existing bridge. Overhead power lines and roadways also required crews to pause and reposition equipment. At a few locations, vibratory hammers installed the initial piles because the channel slope made it impractical to establish a level platform for the press-in equipment.<br /><br />The project demonstrated that press-in sheet piling can provide durable channel walls while limiting impacts near sensitive properties. No noise or vibration complaints were reported from nearby residents or businesses, reinforcing the method’s suitability for flood-control work in developed urban areas.

Keywords

Fullerton Creek

Buena Park

flood control

100-year storm

steel sheet piles

hydraulic press-in piling

channel wall improvement

Orange County

urban construction

noise vibration reduction