Throop Has Years of Experience Producing Marine Concrete
Whether you have 10 cubic yards of concrete to pump 150 ft under water or 2,000 cubic yards of concrete to place on an island or a pier, the George L. Throop Company is qualified to handle the concrete production in and around, above and below water. We understand the challenges of working around water and know how to deal with issues that arise. We have knowledge about concrete additives that can be added to help the concrete reach its proper strength at the right time.
Our concrete mobile batch plants have worked, for example, on barges for weeks at a time filling mooring cells on the Ohio River using a tremie pipe. We have also stabilized marine piers, marina and boat docks.
About Marine Concrete
Marine concrete is a specialized type of concrete designed for use in harsh marine environments where it’s exposed to seawater, waves, and other corrosive elements. It’s used to construct various structures like seawalls, breakwaters, jetties, and offshore platforms, ensuring durability and longevity in these challenging conditions.
Standard concrete is produced from a mixture of cement, aggregates, sand and water. When standard concrete is submerged in saltwater, it eventually breaks down and corrodes. Marine concrete, on the other hand, offers lower heat evolution, greater salt water resistance and greater sulphate and chloride. Marine concrete is therefore corrosion resistant. It is formulated to resist the corrosive effects of saltwater, particularly the chloride ions present in seawater, which can lead to cracking and spalling. Marine concrete is designed to withstand the physical forces of waves, strong currents and the abrasive effects of sand and debris, as well as the freeze-thaw cycles of colder climates.
Quite often there may be specifics to have a low water-to-cement ratio and may incorporate supplementary cementitious materials to reduce permeability and prevent the intrusion of other substances. Depending on the specific application, marine concrete may be formulated for high strength, either early or long-term strength, in order to withstand heavy loads and impact forces.
Where Marine Concrete is used:
- Breakwaters
- Seawalls
- Jetties
- Offshore Platforms
- Harbor and Coastal Structures such as pilings and mooring rings
- Underwater Structures such as foundations or submerged marine infrastructure
Below is a partial list of marine projects the George L. Throop Company has completed on time and within budget:
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- View marine concrete video – Mooring cells in Olmstead on the Ohio River producing Type II concrete
- U.S. Army Corp of Engineers – Worked with specs and produced
- San Diego Outfall, California (pdf) – Had to hit a window of strength
- San Pedro Breakwater Repair – We worked under Mason Construction.
- Manson Construction Company specializes in heavy civil marine construction and dredging. They had to do a repair of the break water in San Pedro. Large slabs weighing 25 tons each were stacked creating the breakwater but a big storm came up and pushed several slabs into the harbor so the huge slabs had to be replaced quickly. The voids were measured to custom fit where the former slabs were located using a very strong woven material similar to fabric used for super sacks or sling bags. The high strength concrete was pumped over a gang plank to the breakwater and into the custom bags. It worked perfectly. Eventually the fabric would wear off and the high strength concrete would remain.
- L.A. County Department of Sanitation
- Palos Verdes Outfall Repair
- Southern California Edison, Redondo Beach Plant
- American Pacific Marine Company, Wilson Cove Pier is now IMC Logistics
- U.S. Navy
- Arcata Wastewater Treatment Plant Outfall, Arcata, California
- Geographical diversity, project complexity
- Whether building on land or over water
