Residential Waterfront Flood Protection Hammerhead® Aluminum Flood Barrier System
Luxury Residential Multi-Opening Property Flood Mitigation Case Study — Miami Beach, FL
THE CLIENT AND PROJECT OVERVIEW:
A luxury waterfront single-family residence on Di Lido Island in Miami Beach, Florida required a comprehensive flood barrier solution for multiple exposed and vulnerable openings around the property.
The approximately 10,500-square-foot site includes bay-front and seawall frontage with direct ocean access.
Located in a moderate-to-high-flood risk zone (FEMA Flood Zone AE) with high storm exposure levels, the homeowner requested a robust, integrated, flood barrier system to safeguard the expansive property perimeter, its various access points and high-value electrical utility equipment.
The solution needed to deliver strong flood defense — engineered to handle heavy flood loads yet practical enough for deployment by one person in advance of a storm, and aesthetically unobtrusive to the owner during normal day-to-day living.
THE PROJECT CHALLENGES:
This residential waterfront property’s vulnerability was driven by three factors: waterfront exposure, frequent coastal storm conditions, and multiple low-level openings around the perimeter that can become entry points for damaging flood waters.
The flood barrier system needed to address these risks, which included the protection of a long seawall waterfront opening, an electrical equipment area, a front gate entryway, and another vulnerable open area near the entry gate. Different spans, mounting conditions, thresholds, and access needs required a site-specific configuration design.
The most vulnerable areas included:
Direct Seawall Opening: A 60-foot-wide perimeter span required center post support.
Electrical Equipment Area: A 12-foot-wide opening area with sensitive utility equipment. required outside-mount posts, footer work, concrete components, and a center post.
Front Gate Entrance: A 16-foot-wide access point required protection without restricting everyday entry.
Entry-Gate Opening: A 118-inch opening required a five-plank system.
THE PROJECT GOAL:
The goal of the project was to deliver a durable and flexible flood barrier solution for serious property protection, without making the residence appear permanently fortified. The homeowner required a reusable system that could be deployed quickly and that was engineered for advanced performance in severe weather and flood events.
Flood Protection: Protect the property’s principal vulnerable waterfront entry points.
Property Resilience: Reduce the risk that coastal flooding could damage access points, expensive equipment, and perimeter openings that sit close to likely water-entry paths.
Maintain Access: Ensure everyday access without altering the property’s pristine aesthetic when the barriers were not deployed.
Rapid Deployment: Provide a flood barrier system that can be set up in advance of a storm, while offering simple storage capabilities.
Installation Coordination: Complete the project within a constrained scheduling window and coordinate the custom fabrication and flood wall installation.
THE SOLUTION:
Garrison Flood Control provided its custom USA-made Hammerhead® Aluminum Flood-Log System, along with certified installation services. As a licensed general contractor, the flood specialists at Garrison both manufacture and offer professional installation services. The stop-log-style flood barrier system uses permanently mounted U-channel posts and removable aluminum planks that are stacked to the required protection height used when flooding is anticipated.
The solution included four coordinated barrier configurations:
Seawall Protection: A 60-foot-wide Hammerhead® eight-plank system was configured with an inside-mount post set, seven center posts, seven baseplate-and-anchor sets, and a concrete column set.
Electrical Equipment Protection: A 12-foot-wide eight-plank system used an outside-mount post set, a concrete column set, 12 feet of footer work, one center post, and one baseplate-and-anchor set.
Front Gate Protection: A 16-foot-wide eight-plank system used an inside-mount post set, one center post, and one baseplate-and-anchor set.
Entry-Gate Protection: A 118-inch five-plank system used an inside-mount post set and a window-sill L-bracket for sealing and support.
Each flood barrier was custom fabricated at Garrison’s 30,000 sq/ft Pompano Beach facility to match the dimensions and unique conditions for each opening. Center posts, anchors, support brackets, concrete components, and sill-related accessories were used to create both shorter sections and extended flood barrier runs for complete integrated flood defense.
Hammerhead® Aluminum Flood-Log Solution Features and Benefits:
Advanced Leak Protection: Hammerhead’s patent-pending SureGasket™ and AlumiSeal™ are designed to enhance sealing at sensitive post, plank, sill, and ground interfaces.
Rapid Deployment: The removable planks store compactly and can be installed in advance of a flood while the permanent posts remain ready at each opening.
Engineered Performance: Garrison’s Hammerhead® Aluminum Flood-Log System has undergone extensive product engineering including Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and physical water tank testing against hydrostatic and hydrodynamic pressures. Hammerhead has been storm-tested through multiple hurricanes and flood events.
Custom-Fit Design: The flood planks, post mounts, center supports, anchors, and accessories were sized and configured for each of the four openings. The custom-fabrication of each plank was done at Garrison’s fabrication facility in Pompano Beach, FL.
Durable Construction: The system uses industrial-grade 6063 T-6 aluminum posts and planks, with Rubber EPDM sealing elements for demanding flood and coastal conditions. Planks are anodized for protection against corrosion and the elements, along with Marine-Grade 316L stainless steel hardware.
Flexible Span Capability: Stackable planks and center posts offer durable and flexible flood protection across various heights and lengths, from narrow entryways to long perimeter openings.
THE PROJECT INSTALLATION:
Garrison Certified and Professional Flood Plank Installation Services
Garrison’s professional installation team coordinated on-site work within the homeowner’s required tight scheduling window. The project required additional concrete and footer work, which provided additional sealing capabilities and structural support for the barrier’s reinforcing center posts.
Once installed, the U-channel posts remain positioned at each opening for permanent flood-readiness. During deployment, the aluminum planks could be inserted into the channels, stacked to the required protection height, tightened, and secured from the top to create a rigid flood wall assembly.
The completed installation was designed to balance home protection, practicality, and appearance. The Hammerhead® Flood-Log System provides ongoing readiness, while the removable planks allow the homeowner to deploy the barriers only when a flood threat is expected.
THE PROJECT COMPLETION AND CONCLUSION:
Garrison’s team of flood specialists and professionally trained installers provided this high-end waterfront Miami Beach residential property with an advanced engineered flood barrier solution for a coordinated and comprehensive flood-mitigation strategy to protect vulnerable openings. Garrison Flood Control combined custom-fabricated Hammerhead® Aluminum Flood Panels with center posts, anchors, clean concrete components, footer work, and additional accessories to address the property’s varied field conditions.
This large-scale flood protection project demonstrates how residential flood barriers in a coastal setting is not a one-size-fits- all solution. The Hammerhead® Aluminum Flood Plank System developed by Garrison is the industry-leading aluminum flood log system, and has protected over 5,000 structures nationwide. With unmatched engineering, testing, and real world exposure during significant hurricanes and severe storms, Garrison’s advanced engineered Hammerhead® is a storm-proven USA-made solution for trusted residential flood mitigation.
When it comes to protecting your property from flooding, there’s no room for second-best. The Hammerhead® Aluminum Flood-Log System is engineered to offer superior protection, rapid deployment, and dependable performance, backed by American-made quality and materials.
With precision-cut 6063-T6 anodized aluminum, storm-proven performance, and a commitment to manufacturing excellence, Hammerhead is built for serious flood protection—without compromise. We’ve spent years perfecting the design, sourcing the best materials, and building a domestic manufacturing footprint capable of serving even the most demanding flood protection needs.
Gain the peace of mind that comes with knowing your property is protected. Contact Garrison Flood Control to learn how we can help you prepare for the unexpected.
