Waukegan Breakwater Repair Solution
Winter storms and annual cold temperatures create large waves on the Great Lakes and can damage stone breakwaters. In order to repair these breaks, tugs and barges loaded with cranes are needed to get to the right spots in the water. Structural repair was done to the original design to ensure safe passage for vessels entering and exiting the harbor. In order to properly place the concrete, the ready mix trucks also needed to be moved via barge along the harbor.
Weather factors played a big role in the planning and carrying out of this project. Temperatures, wind, and the roughness of the water made this particularly difficult at times. To work with the ever-changing weather, pours would start very early before the waves got too big. This made service, truck timing and logistics key in making this project a success.
Drivers, dispatchers, quality control technicians, and account managers all worked together to ensure success on this unique project. Working alongside so much water on a job with a tight schedule was a challenge but a great opportunity for being a part of a historic project. David Swanson, one of the ready-mix truck drivers on the job, said “In 36 years I have had some amazing pours but never one like that! It was amazing being out there, all of us on the job thought it was really, really awesome to be a part of.”
