Concrete Dock Crack Reinforcement with Carbon Fiber

The Royal Vancouver Yacht Club in Coal Harbour, British Columbia, faced significant cracking and structural deterioration along a concrete floating dock exposed to winter storm surges and elevated water levels. Seasonal king tides routinely raise water levels by 20–40 inches (50–100 cm), creating substantial stress on the waterfront structures that support the marina’s operations.

Engineering assessments confirmed widespread cracking across the dock surface, requiring a long-term, non-corrosive strengthening solution. Structural Reinforcement Solutions (SRS) was selected to design and supply a carbon fiber repair system capable of restoring integrity while minimizing disruption to marina activities.

SRS specified a combination of SRS-660 bidirectional carbon fiber fabric for full crack confinement and SRS-600UNI unidirectional straps to provide global strengthening across the damaged zone. These carbon fiber materials deliver more than twice the tensile strength of #4 rebar and bond directly to the prepared concrete surface for maximum durability.

Installation was performed by Retro Specialty Contractors using a marine-grade wet-layup epoxy system. The concrete surface was lightly scarified, cleaned, and prepared to ensure optimal adhesion. Carbon fiber reinforcement was placed strategically across the cracked areas and extended beyond the damage zone to improve structural load distribution. A final broadcast of sand over the epoxy completed the repair with a slip-resistant finish suitable for constant marine exposure.

The completed system significantly increased the dock’s structural capacity, mitigated future cracking risks, and provided long-term durability against water intrusion, UV exposure, and environmental forces typical of Pacific Northwest waterfront infrastructure.