What causes seawall deterioration at the Finger Lakes?

Seawalls at the Finger Lakes face three simultaneous damage forces. Wave action creates cyclic stress on the wall face. Ice pressure at the waterline exerts extreme lateral force during freeze-up and thaw cycles. Freeze-thaw cycling within the concrete mass expands moisture in existing cracks each winter. All three forces operate on the same structure year-round, which is why waterfront structures deteriorate faster than inland structures of the same age and construction.