Patient Details
Alpha Structural completed remedial drainage and concrete improvements along the easterly side yard of this Los Angeles property. The work was designed to improve surface drainage and reduce the potential for water to infiltrate and saturate the soil adjacent to the home's sunken slab area.
The side yard was excavated and regraded approximately six inches, or as dictated by the existing grade, to provide proper clearance between the soil and the home's wood framing and weep screed. The project also included repairs to plywood shear wall material at the sunken slab wall where previous sections had been removed.
Approximately 15 feet of existing waterproofing around the exterior footing and stem wall of the sunken slab room was removed and cleaned before new waterproofing was applied. This targeted waterproofing work was combined with the drainage improvements to help mitigate water exposure along this section of the home.
A new drainage system was installed beneath the side-yard slab using approximately 55 linear feet of 4-inch solid drainpipe. The new piping was connected to an existing 4-inch downspout drain line that discharged at the curb. Four-inch round area drains were also installed at approximately 15-foot intervals to capture surface runoff and direct it into the buried drainage system.
After the drainage installation, the soils were graded and compacted and new reinforcing steel was installed for the concrete walkway. Rebar was placed approximately 24 inches on center and doweled into the existing foundations with epoxy to connect the new concrete work to the surrounding structure.
The new concrete walkway was poured and finished at approximately a 2% slope away from the house, directing surface water toward the new area drains and away from the foundations. Concrete or slurry fill was also placed to address remaining voids beneath the sunken slab section.
Together, the regrading, reinforced concrete walkway, solid drainpipes, area drains, targeted waterproofing, and void filling provided a remedial approach to improving surface water management along the easterly side yard and reducing the potential for soil saturation adjacent to the home.
