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feet or 50–300 metres). The length of the gap is largely governed by the interacting wavelengths. Breakwaters may be either fixed or floating, and impermeable or permeable to allow sediment transfer shoreward of the structures, the choice depending on tidal range and water depth. They usually consist of large pieces of rock (granite) weighing up to 10–15 tonnes each, or rubble-mound. Their design is influenced by the angle of wave approach and other environmental parameters. Breakwater construction can be either parallel or perpendicular to the coast, depending on the shoreline requirements.
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armour units on the outside of the structure absorb most of the energy, while gravels or sands prevent the wave energy's continuing through the breakwater core. The slopes of the revetment are typically between 1:1 and 1:2, depending upon the materials used. In shallow water, revetment breakwaters are usually relatively inexpensive. As water depth increases, the material requirements—and hence costs—increase significantly.
1003:
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317:, Morocco), before they become vulnerable to damage under self weight, wave impact and thermal cracking of the complex shapes during casting/curing. Where the very largest armour units are required for the most exposed locations in very deep water, armour units are most often formed of concrete cubes, which have been used up to ~
270:
millimetres (7.9 in). The row of four sea-facing and two land-facing slabs reflects offshore wave by the action of the volume of water located under it which, made to oscillate under the effect of the incident wave, creates waves in phase opposition to the incident wave downstream from the slabs.
481:
There are two main types of offshore breakwater (also called detached breakwater): single and multiple. Single, as the name suggests, means the breakwater consists of one unbroken barrier, while multiple breakwaters (in numbers anywhere from two to twenty) are positioned with gaps in between (160–980
713:
Jafarzadeh, E., Kabiri-Samani, A., Mansourzadeh, S., & Bohluly, A. (2021). Experimental modeling of the interaction between waves and submerged flexible mound breakwaters. Proceedings of the
Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part M: Journal of Engineering for the Maritime Environment, 235(1),
119:
threatens the erosion of beach material, smaller structures on the beach may be installed, usually perpendicular to the water's edge. Their action on waves and current is intended to slow the longshore drift and discourage mobilisation of beach material. In this usage they are more usually referred
278:
A submerged flexible mound breakwater can be employed for wave control in shallow water as an advanced alternative to the conventional rigid submerged designs. Further to the fact that, the construction cost of the submerged flexible mound breakwaters is less than that of the conventional submerged
269:
Wave attenuators consist of concrete elements placed horizontally one foot under the free surface, positioned along a line parallel to the coast. Wave attenuators have four slabs facing the sea, one vertical slab, and two slabs facing the land; each slab is separated from the next by a space of 200
212:
Rubble mound breakwaters use structural voids to dissipate the wave energy. Rubble mound breakwaters consist of piles of stones more or less sorted according to their unit weight: smaller stones for the core and larger stones as an armour layer protecting the core from wave attack. Rock or concrete
228:
one or more vessels on the inner face of the breakwater. They use the mass of the caisson and the fill within it to resist the overturning forces applied by waves hitting them. They are relatively expensive to construct in shallow water, but in deeper sites they can offer a significant saving over
232:
An additional rubble mound is sometimes placed in front of the vertical structure in order to absorb wave energy and thus reduce wave reflection and horizontal wave pressure on the vertical wall. Such a design provides additional protection on the sea side and a quay wall on the inner side of the
439:
Salient formations as a result of breakwaters are a function of the distance the breakwaters are built from the coast, the direction at which the wave hits the breakwater, and the angle at which the breakwater is built (relative to the coast). Of these three, the angle at which the breakwater is
436:. This may then lead to further engineering protection being needed down-drift of the breakwater development. Sediment accumulation in the areas surrounding breakwaters can cause flat areas with reduced depths, which changes the topographic landscape of the seabed.
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and diversity in the surrounding ecosystems. As a result of the reduced heterogeneity and decreased depths that breakwaters produce due to sediment build up, the UV exposure and temperature in surrounding waters increase, which may disrupt surrounding ecosystems.
440:
built is most important in the engineered formation of salients. The angle at which the breakwater is built determines the new direction of the waves (after they've hit the breakwaters), and in turn the direction that sediment will flow and accumulate over time.
248:
Such structures have been used successfully in the offshore oil-industry, but also on coastal projects requiring rather low-crested structures (e.g. on an urban promenade where the sea view is an important aspect, as seen in
293:
As design wave heights get larger, rubble mound breakwaters require larger armour units to resist the wave forces. These armour units can be formed of concrete or natural rock. The largest standard grading for
343:(available for free online) and elsewhere. For detailed design the use of scaled physical hydraulic models remains the most reliable method for predicting real-life behavior of these complex structures.
298:
units given in CIRIA 683 "The Rock Manual" is 10–15 tonnes. Larger gradings may be available, but the ultimate size is limited in practice by the natural fracture properties of locally available rock.
140:
Breakwaters reduce the intensity of wave action in inshore waters and thereby provide safe harbourage. Breakwaters may also be small structures designed to protect a gently sloping
279:
breakwaters, ships and marine organisms can pass them, if being deep enough. These marine structures reduce the collided wave energy and prevent the generation of standing waves.
92:
is a permanent structure constructed at a coastal area to protect against tides, currents, waves, and storm surges. Breakwaters have been built since
Antiquity to protect
340:
432:
shoreward of the breakwaters. This trapping of sediment can cause adverse effects down-drift of the breakwaters, leading to beach sediment starvation and increased
776:
Jackson, Nancy L.; Harley, Mitchell D.; Armaroli, Clara; Nordstrom, Karl F. (2015-06-15). "Beach morphologies induced by breakwaters with different orientations".
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Breakwaters are subject to damage and overtopping in severe storms. Some may also have the effect of creating unique types of waves that attract surfers, such as
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A breakwater structure is designed to absorb the energy of the waves that hit it, either by using mass (e.g. with caissons), or by using a
816:"Mapping microhabitat thermal patterns in artificial breakwaters: Alteration of intertidal biodiversity by higher rock temperature"
245:
A similar but more sophisticated concept is a wave-absorbing caisson, including various types of perforation in the front wall.
190:
Types of breakwaters include vertical wall breakwater, mound breakwater and mound with superstructure or composite breakwater.
424:
of sediment (as per the design of the breakwater scheme). However, this can lead to excessive salient build up, resulting in
155:
anchored there are protected from the force of powerful waves by some large structure which they can shelter behind. Natural
96:, helping isolate vessels from marine hazards such as wind-driven waves. A breakwater, also known in some contexts as a
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870:
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204:, a revetment is a land-backed structure whilst a breakwater is a sea-backed structure (i.e. water on both sides).
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3D simulation of wave motion near a sea wall. MEDUS (2011) Marine
Engineering Division of University of Salerno.
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53:, entrance channel. Breakwaters create safer harbours, but can also trap sediment moving along the coast.
17:
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The dissipation of energy and relative calm water created in the lee of the breakwaters often encourage
892:
Oblique Aerial
Photography — Coastal Erosion from El-Niño Winter Storms October, 1997 & April, 1998
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104:, may be connected to land or freestanding, and may contain a walkway or road for vehicle access.
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163:. Artificial harbours can be created with the help of breakwaters. Mobile harbours, such as the
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The reduced heterogeneity in sea floor landscape introduced by breakwaters can lead to reduced
170:, were floated into position and acted as breakwaters. Some natural harbours, such as those in
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A. de Graauw (2022) “Ancient Port
Structures, Parallels between the ancient and the modern”
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breakwaters typically have vertical sides and are usually erected where it is desirable to
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729:"Eroding diversity away: Impacts of a tetrapod breakwater on a subtropical coral reef"
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335:, Van der Meer and more recently Van Gent et al.; these methods are all described in
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148:; they are placed 100–300 feet (30–90 m) offshore in relatively shallow water.
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69:
46:
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Masucci, Giovanni Diego; Acierno, Alessandro; Reimer, James Davis (2020).
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for the tip of the breakwater at Punta
Langosteira near La Coruña, Spain.
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Preliminary design of armour unit size is often undertaken using the
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system, breakwaters are installed parallel to the shore to minimize
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including 18 wave-absorbing 27 m (89 ft) high caissons.
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Shapes of breakwater armour units and year of their introduction
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313:, etc.) can be provided in up to approximately 40 tonnes (e.g.
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182:, have been enhanced or extended by breakwaters made of rock.
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Aguilera, Moisés A.; Arias, René M.; Manzur, Tatiana (2019).
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556:– Offshore Breakwater at Udangudi for captive coal jetty;
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SeaBull Marine, Inc. — Shoreline
Erosion Reversal Systems
683:"Rock Manual – The use of rock in hydraulic engineering"
257:). In the latter, a project is presently ongoing at the
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726:
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562:Vizhinjam International Seaport Thiruvananthapuram
896:Channel Coastal Observatory — Breakwaters Gallery
197:slope (e.g. with rock or concrete armour units).
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877:Breakwaters, coastal structures and coastlines
339:and the United States Army Corps of Engineers
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699:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
159:are formed by such barriers as headlands or
472:The eight offshore breakwaters at Elmer, UK
392:Similar wave motion along a seawall at the
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871:Shore protection manual (Volume I and II)
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911:WaveBrake – Wave attenuation specialists
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460:Three of the four breakwaters forming
301:Shaped concrete armour units (such as
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477:Construction of detached breakwaters
641:Powell River Giant Hulks breakwater
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983:Integrated coastal zone management
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61:Breakwater under construction in
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136:Barra da Tijuca – Rio de Janeiro
593:Hong Kong International Airport
289:Wave-dissipating concrete block
233:breakwater, but it can enhance
798:10.1016/j.geomorph.2015.03.010
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1:
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151:An anchorage is only safe if
412:at the Newport breakwater.
7:
1239:Modern recession of beaches
681:CIRIA, CUR, CETMEF (2007).
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337:CIRIA 683 "The Rock Manual"
127:
10:
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916:IAS Breakwater in Facebook
341:Coastal engineering manual
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29:
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428:formation, which reduces
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27:Coastal defense structure
1224:Geotechnical engineering
185:
30:Not to be confused with
1193:Sand dune stabilization
875:N.W.H. Allsop (2002) –
602:Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City
404:Unintended consequences
283:Breakwater armour units
229:revetment breakwaters.
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241:Wave absorbing caisson
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820:Ecology and Evolution
617:- Manora Breakwater,
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444:Environmental effects
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287:Further information:
135:
72:
60:
44:
1275:Coastal construction
1145:Van der Meer formula
274:Membrane Breakwaters
1270:Coastal engineering
1234:Longshore transport
1050:Cliff stabilization
973:Coastal engineering
826:(22): 12915–12927.
790:2015Geomo.239...48J
646:Phoenix breakwaters
636:Mole (architecture)
202:coastal engineering
115:. On beaches where
36:Mole (architecture)
1244:Stream restoration
1095:Honeycomb sea wall
978:Coastal management
952:Coastal management
548:Central Breakwater
474:
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324:2019-05-12 at the
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109:coastal management
86:
67:
55:
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1188:Living shorelines
1183:Dynamic revetment
1173:Beach nourishment
1100:Hudson's equation
832:10.1002/ece3.5776
532:, Massachusetts;
514:, North Yorkshire
486:Notable locations
450:species abundance
333:Hudson's equation
168:Mulberry harbours
16:(Redirected from
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1229:Land reclamation
1198:Soft engineering
1165:Soft engineering
1090:Hard engineering
1012:Hard engineering
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462:Portland Harbour
416:Sediment effects
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235:wave overtopping
176:Portland Harbour
73:A breakwater in
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988:Managed retreat
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430:longshore drift
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326:Wayback Machine
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265:Wave attenuator
259:Anse du Portier
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146:coastal erosion
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117:longshore drift
65:, Sweden (2019)
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536:, Virginia;
526:Santa Monica
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498:, Plymouth;
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47:Alamitos Bay
1265:Breakwaters
607:Australia -
581:, Abu Dhabi
502:, Norfolk;
500:Sea Palling
315:Jorf Lasfar
296:rock armour
18:Breakwaters
1259:Categories
1060:Flood wall
1045:Breakwater
993:Submersion
960:Management
657:References
566:Trivandrum
560:, Mumbai;
522:Long Beach
512:South Gare
319:195 tonnes
144:to reduce
107:Part of a
94:anchorages
90:breakwater
75:Haukilahti
51:California
1120:Revetment
1065:Floodgate
1040:Breachway
1025:Accropode
968:Accretion
840:2045-7758
784:: 48–57.
763:212939487
755:1052-7613
687:Ciria-CUR
585:Hong Kong
577:, Dubai;
510:, Devon;
496:The Sound
422:accretion
410:The Wedge
195:revetment
180:Cherbourg
1135:Tetrapod
858:31788225
714:127-141.
625:See also
615:Pakistan
579:Corniche
538:Rockland
322:Archived
311:Tetrapod
157:harbours
128:Purposes
1130:Seawall
1020:A-Jacks
849:6875675
786:Bibcode
631:Seawall
540:, Maine
508:Brixham
426:tombolo
222:Caisson
217:Caisson
122:groynes
113:erosion
83:Finland
32:Seawall
1125:Riprap
1075:Groyne
1070:Gabion
856:
846:
838:
761:
753:
598:Kuwait
398:Sweden
255:Monaco
251:Beirut
208:Rubble
178:, and
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