"Another home in RPV that is experiencing the consequences of the area's active landslides had its retaining wall ripped in half.
The recent scale and rate of movement has been monumental over the past few months, partly due to the unprecedented rains we've had."
"The failure of this wall can be attributed to improper drainage and the absence of weep holes to relieve the hydrostatic pressure.
Hydrostatic pressure refers to the force exerted by standing water against a surface. When soil surrounding an area becomes saturated with water, hydrostatic pressure builds up against the walls. This pressure can lead to cracks, bowing, and other forms of damage to structures over time."
"Excessive moisture in the soil caused the failure of this pipe and board.
Additionally, the pipes were not embedded deep enough into the ground to adequately support the weight of the hillside and withstand the moisture."
"The failure of this block wall is due to a combination of factors, including excessive moisture in the soil and an improper footing. Proper footings are essential as they distribute the weight of a structure evenly to prevent failure."
"The recent heavy rains triggered a massive landslide on this extremely steep hillside, causing significant damage to this home."
"You can really see how steep this hillside is in this photo. It is important to properly mitigate hillsides as they are prone to landslides and can cause significant risks to people and properties, as seen in the photos above.
Following the landslide, the hillside was tarped up for stabilization. This tarping was not done by us."
"The failure of this unpermitted hillside retaining wall was triggered by the collapse of a tree in this location, which undermined the surrounding area. The remnants of the roots provide clear evidence of the tree's considerable size and its impact on the landscape.
Although the retaining wall was unpermitted and clearly not built to last, this picture shows us how plants and trees help stabilize hillsides by anchoring soil with their root systems, absorbing water to prevent saturation."
"The failure of this retaining wall is likely due to inadequate footing embedments. It is leaning by over 12 inches and is nearly touching the adjacent building.
Tag you’re it."
"This substantial crack in the crawlspace was wide enough to fit this entire clipboard.
This huge crack was caused by clay soil. This type of soil can lead to significant cracking due to its tendency to expand when wet and contract when dry, causing substantial movement to occur."
"An uprooted tree along the hillside. These pictures hardly capture the extent of the damage caused by the slide."
"This homeowner was having issues with water intrusion.
Water intrusion can cause significant damage as well as pose risks to both the structural integrity of the building and the health of its occupants."
"Not a single post in sight.
Post and piers are essential structural elements in a building's foundation, providing support to a structure and distributing the weight evenly to the ground below."
"Different assessment, more spall damage.
Spalling is commonly caused by the corrosion of embedded steel reinforcement bars or steel sections, which weakens the concrete and leads to it breaking apart."
"It must have been “Bring Your Own Post and Pier to Work Day” that day."
"The interior stem wall exhibits a crack approximately half an inch wide, accompanied by a rotation of 5/8 to 3/4 of an inch, indicating significant structural movement.
Thank you for joining us, we hope you enjoyed, we'll see you next Tuesday at 2 pm!
For over 30 years now, Alpha Structural, Inc. has developed a powerful reputation as the #1 Foundation Repair, Landslide Repair and Earthquake Retrofitting Contractor in Los Angeles and Orange County."
"Mud bath anyone?"
"A huge landslide swept through this hillside, resulting in damage to the area and the homes below."
"This retaining wall is failing with severe cracks and signs of spall damage.
Spall damage refers to the deterioration or chipping away of concrete or masonry surfaces, often caused by factors such as water infiltration, freeze-thaw cycles, or corrosion of embedded steel reinforcement."
"The steep vertical slope of the wall adds to the safety concerns, even more so now that it's failing, potentially leading to issues for the homes that are downslope."
"Retaining walls are designed to retain soil, but when heavy rainfall adds extreme amounts of water weight to the equation, it can exert significant stress on the wall."
"This gunite wall, meant as a remedial repair to mitigate debris, has aged and begun to fail."
"This huge crack is a result of an exorbitant amount of stress pulling the house apart due to land movement in the area."
"The severe spall damage in this building has been accumulating and progressively worsening over the past few years, posing significant structural concerns."
"The framing of this detached garage is completely rotted, and the foundation supports are rotating out of square, possibly due to inadequately embedded footings on a steep slope."
"This sagging beam was crushed due to water seepage that resulted in wood rot, leaving the beam to no longer provide the proper support needed for the structure."
"Poor drainage from the street above led to slope failure in this area. Additionally, the deck and block wall were constructed without proper permits and lacked the footings capable of withstanding the elements."
"This building has been severely undermined, leaving it with little to no support."
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-do not build on hillsides
-avoid post and pier houses
Thanks for giving me good decision making tools i need for the imaginary house i will never be able to buy , on the quaint hillside i will never see:)
- Architects hit me up - i now have good tips for you :)
In ancient times Portuguese Bend was an island, but is now a peninsula due to slides. It is the worst place to build, made worse because of road construction 75 years ago.
Other places where they assess structural damage has clay soil which will expand and contract differently depending on the moisture. This can lead to a drop, leading to the posts not making contact and providing support.
Much of the area is rather terrible to build on, but it is California, and land prices are high.
Three years after closing, it was condemned.