Pier Pressure

The powerful forces of the ocean and weather can be unkind to county piers--all six of which have undergone extensive repairs and reconstruction over the years. In fact, there are no original materials left on any of them except Aliso Pier. But with each reconstruction and improvement, piers have a better chance of withstanding pounding surf such as that of recent weeks. How local piers have fared and methods undertaken to strengthen them:

Seal Beach Pier

Seal Beach’s community identity is tied to its pier; it lost an important visual symbol when the pier was destroyed in 1983. Engineers were asked to create a new, stronger pier while remaining true to the look and feel of the old wooden one. How the new pier was constructed:

Piling: Pressure-treated Douglas fir

Polyethylene coating: Prevents rot and infestation

Pile cap: Fastens pilings to deck

Stringer: Load-bearing portion of the deck. Designed to withstand weight of utility and repair trucks up to 10 tons

Deck: Wooden passageway for pedestrians and vehicles

Utility conduit: For electrical, gas and water lines

Transverse brace: Decreases horizontal sway

Longitudinal brace: Distributes force of waves evenly throughout pier

Railing

Length: 1,865 feet

Area of pier reconstructed after storm of 1983: 1,140 feet

Original construction: 1906

1939: Ripped in half by a hurricane and reconstructed for $110,000

1983: Mid-section is torn out by winter storms and high tide. Sections near the shore and the tip remain standing, though heavily damaged, along with a cafe at the end

1985: Reopens after $2.3-million reconstruction

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What Went Wrong in 1983

Problem: Unusually high tide and big waves lifted deck off pilings. Lacking support from the deck, pilings broke off at the mud line and became battering rams in the rough surf, damaging other pilings

Solution: Pier was rebuilt 3.5 feet higher to accommodate higher surf and a new structural support system was devised to distribute wave force more evenly

Huntington Beach Pier

Length: 1,840 feet

Type: Steel-reinforced concrete

Original construction: 1914

1939: Hurricane rips 300 feet off the end

1940 End portion is rebuilt

1958: Storm knocks 600 feet off the end

1983: Fierce storms damage end of pier and destroy the End Cafe, a landmark eatery perched on pier’s vulnerable seaward edge

1985: Pier reopens after $1.3 million in repairs

1988: January storms rip 200 feet off the end, sending the End Cafe into the ocean. Crumbling pier is declared a hazard and is closed in June

1992: Reopens after $10.8-million reconstruction. New pier has a diamond-shaped tip to deflect wave action.

Sheltered From the Storm

The Channel Islands shelter Orange County’s piers by blocking approaching swells -- except for those coming from the west-northwest and south-southwest. Swells approaching from these corridors in 1939, 1983 and 1988 were the most destructive in the county’s history.

Newport Pier

Type: Wood, with concrete-coated wooden deck

Length: 1,032 feet

Original construction: 1889

1939: Destroyed by hurricane and rebuilt

Balboa Pier

Type: Wood, with concrete-coated wooden deck

Length: 919 feet

Original construction: 1906

1939: Destroyed by hurricane and rebuilt

Aliso Pier

Type: Steel-reinforced concrete

Length: 660 feet

Original construction: 1971

1983: Damaged by storms and repaired

1986: Diamond-shaped end portion is closed after storm damage and corrosion of its steel reinforcements cause longitudinal cracks

1990: End portion is reinforced and coated with an epoxy-cement mixture and reopened

San Clemente Pier

Type: Wood and steel piles, wood deck

Length: 1,296 feet

Original construction: 1928

1939: Destroyed by hurricane and rebuilt

1983: Storm tears out 400 feet from end of pier and 80 feet from midsection

1985: Reconstructed for $1.4 million. End portion is rebuilt 3.5 feet higher, with polyethylene-coated steel piles.

Sources: James Crumpley, Moffat & Nichol Engineers; Steve Badum, Seal Beach city engineer; Don Webb, Newport Beach public works administrator, Jack Miller, Huntington Beach city engineer, Lynn Hughes, San Clemente marine safety and recreation manager; San Clemente Library; Times reports; Researched by JANICE L. JONES/Los Angeles Times