1t is advised

Are erging arms runníng out to sea.

fbase
11.3.1 Types of Breakwaters
Breakwaters are classified into three types:
1. Mound or heap
1.5 to breakwater.
2. Mound with
superstructure breakwater.
3. Vertical wall
pile breakwater.
e safe 1. Mound or Heap Breakwater
tics. Where durable rock material is available at economic cost mound or heap
breakwater is the best. This type of breakwater is a heterogeneous assemblage
of natural rubble, undressed stone blocks, rip rap, etc. In many cases artificial
blocks of huge bulk weight are used. In such deposition no care is taken of the
bond or bedding.
 11.4
RAILWAYS, AIRPORTS AND COAS
HARBOUR
This is a simplest way of
construction without any need of
labour. It is constructed by tipping or
till the mound or heap energes out of thedumping
of rubble stones, very
water. Then the mound is into the
ENGINEERIskilNeGd t oa

and its side slopes regulated by the sea eig

action of waves. The quantity
needed for constructlon depends upon the depth, rise of
consists of three parts, viz., armour, first underlayer and tides
of
rubbleIt
and waves.
waves
consolidated wate
second
) MoundFormation
3e Mounds are formed using rubble of
underlayer. mo

assorted weights, placed according to

sizes. In general the smallest and the lightest
The sizes of the materials are materials are used for the cor
increased gradually outwards. Such arrangement
is made to withstand the action of
waves by bigger
earlier artificially made concrete blocks may be size materials. As discussed
the advantage that they could be placed at a used. Concrete blocks have
thereby economizing the space and material. steeper slope than rubble and
A typical mound is shown in
Flgure 11.l.alt
Concrete blocks
Exterior S0 e 20 to 30 t Interior
3 LW.L

2 to 8 ton blocks
2 to 8 ton
blocks
3 mwidth
3m width
-1.5 to 5 ton blocks
3m width

Core
Figure 11.1Typical mound formation
i) Protection of Faces
On exposed surfaces the waves
flat slope at the exterior or sea side.gradually drag down the mound giving
2
Such surfaces have to be protectea.
There are three approaches of protection, viz., by
granite paving or by placing tetrapods. providing concrete blocks,
COASTALSTRUCTURES 11.5
Heavy blocks of concrete may be dropped on the top and front faces. This
to a great extent prevents the flattening action of the waves. These blocks
welgh about 20 to 30 tonnes and are dropped at random or laid in courses.
The second approach is to pave the upper part of the mound up to the low
water level by deep granite blocks. Granite paving blocks set with proper cement
mortar bonds are capable to reduce the erosive action of waves.

1.80 m

1.80 m

Figure 11.2 Typical tetrapod

Tetrapod method is most suitable one. Atetrapod is a four pronged pre
cast concrete blocks (Fig. 11.2). Tetrapods provides good interlocking and good
percentage of surface voids. Owing to the geometrical shape the centre of gravity
is shifted a low level and thereby resisting overturning. The surface voids
afford easy and unobstructed passage for the return or suction wave.
2. Mound with Superstructure Breakwater
Mound with superstructure breakwater are founded at two levels.
1) At low water level.
1f) Below low water level.
 11.6 RAILWAYS, AIRPORTS AND HARBOUR
) Founded at Low Water Level
In mound with superstnucture founded at low water level, a solid
ENGINEERING
consisting of a quay protected by a parapet on the sea-ward side is
(Flg. 11.3) on the top of the mound. This type constructed at 1ow
structu re
ConstruIcted
claims several advantages, viz., water levej
a) It reduces the quantity of rubbe required for the mound.
b) It gives protection to the top of the mound.
c) It provides a large platform to handle.
Parapet
Platform wall
Interior Exterior
VLWL L.W.L

Selected
rubble
,Assoreg rutbble 0O

Figure 11.3Mound with solid superstructure at low water level

Compared to only mound type
for the ships to come closer to the breakwater that arrangement makes room
from waves the exterior side is filledbreakwater wall. In order to have protection
with concrete blocks.
i) Founded Below Low Water
Level

Superstructure Concrte capping

Concrete blocks
Interior of 30 tonnes
V Exterior L.WL

Selected rubbles
Figure 11,4 Mound with solid
superstructure below low water level
cOASTAL.STRUCTURES 11.7

Inthis type of construction the superstructure is founded below low water

and thereby reducing the desturbance of waves. In deep water area, this
Cpeof construction is very economical (Fig. 11.4).

Upright Wall Breakwater

Upright wall breakwaters are preferred when the following field conditíons
eAÍSt:

a) Depth of water should be suficiently great to prevent the breaking of

waves. That is upright wall breakwater is not recommonded in a depth
of water less than twice the
greatest storm wave.
b) Sea bed is
resistant to erosion.
c Foundations are not subjected to differential settlement.
An upright breakwater is designed to withstand the
failures due to the
following:
a) By overturning as a solid mass.
b) By shearing of bed joints or by sliding of one block
against the other.
c) By vplifting of horizontal layer.
d) By fracture.
Most important advantage of a upright breakwater is less
compared to a mnound type. maintenance
Failure by Overturning
Just like a øravity retain wall this has to withstand the horizontal
pressure
due to water and wave action. In order to prevent overturning the
resultant of
he weight of the wall and the horizontal pressure should fall within the
middle
taird of the base. Otherwise tensile stresses will affect the foundation.
It has been estimated experimentally that the horizontal forces causins
shear Ynd the overturning has been found to have a maximum value of 30 t/m²
an average wave height as 8 m.
considering
 RAILWAYS, AIRPORTS AND
11.8 HARBOUR
i) Failure by Shear
Shearing of bed joints due to horizontal pressure of the
EwaveNGINE RING
prevented by mortar or the frictional resistarnce offered during nay te
sliding
Usually 1:3 cement mortar is used which gives high adhesive
up to 75 t/m².
The coefficient of friction available in concrete or stone
strengh
Hence a resistance of 0.7 W (weight of structure above the sliding blocks is 0.7
available. surfacej ls
Hence to prevent failure by shear caused by horizontal force due to w
the mortar joint should be adequately strong and of the stone or concerete
should have a maximum compressive stress of 130 t/m".
üD Failure by Uplifting
This is due to hydrostatic force underneath the
mass. The only opposing
force to sustain this is the weight of the
masonry.
iv) Failure by Fracture
This is not caused by wave action. This may be due
to dislocated blocks
knocking against each other due to waves and making the joints
may be avoided by providing proper bonding in loose. This
the masonry or by provicing
joggles Fig. 11.5) or dowel joint.

(a) Joggle joint

(b) Dowel joint
Figure 11.5 Joints
Atyplcal section of an upright wall breakwater is shown in Figure l1.6
 Granite
Facing H.W.L

Exterior Interior

25 to 40 tonne blocks
with juggles

Apron
Bed
Bed XXX

breakwater
Figure11.6 Upright wall

tion of Breakwaters