DRAINAGE DESIGN CASE STUDY:

As part of the Wayne County Airport Authority’s on-call maintenance program, a drainage system improvement was executed at Detroit Metro Airport. The project aimed to extend drainage through new steel sheet piling and eliminate hydrostatic pressure buildup using JET Filter’s maintainable weep hole assemblies

In high-traffic infrastructure environments like airports, steel sheet piling walls often require supplemental drainage to manage:

• Water accumulation behind structural barriers

• Pressure-related cracking or shifting

• Backfill erosion and foundation deterioration

WCAA’s engineering team recognized the importance of integrating maintainable weep holes to protect concrete-adjacent structures and increase service life without major future disruptions.

Ram Construction Services, under direction from WCAA, installed 31 JF3SS maintainable weep hole assemblies behind newly proposed steel sheet piling.

✅31 units of 3” diameter open-end ABS housing

✅Geotextile Media: Mirafi® Filter-Weave FW 300

✅Strategically positioned at critical drainage points throughout the site

This solution delivers a clean, maintainable flow path for water buildup behind steel walls—essential for extending structure integrity in demanding transportation environments.

Without proper drainage behind sheet pile walls:

• Water pressure builds and pushes walls outward

• Soil saturation weakens backfill stability

• Repairs become disruptive and expensive

JET Filter’s maintainable drainage systems ensure longevity with accessible, serviceable components built for long-term performance in high-stress airport environments.