BREAKWATERS

BREAKWATER
The protective barrier constructed to enclose harbours and to keep the harbour waters undisturbed by the effect of heavy and strong seas are called Breakwaters. Its main function is to break the momentum of water. Hence it is an artificial construction to break the force of incoming wind and waves. Sometimes inner side of breakwater is constructed as a quay for cargo handling and is known as a mole. A good alignment for breakwater is to have converging arms so that the angle of intersection does not exceed 60 degrees. It is desirable to avoid straight parallel or diverging arms running out to sea.
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DESIGN INFORMATION AND CONSIDERATIONS

Character of coastal currents Cost and availability of material of construction. Direction and force of prevailing winds. Nature of bottom or the foundation Probable maximum height, force and intensity of waves Design should be based on extreme phenomena of wind and waves and not on mean or the average It should be seen that the material in the foundation is not subjected to scour.
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CLASSIFICATION OF BREAKWATER
Heap or mound breakwater Rubble mound breakwater Concrete blocks mound breakwater Rubble mound breakwater supplemented by concrete blocks Rubble mound breakwater supplemented patented stones Mound with superstructure or composite breakwater Upright wall breakwater Special breakwater

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SELECTION OF TYPE OF BREAKWATER

Depends on the following: Availability of materials for construction Depth of water at the site of construction Nature of natural foundations Equipment available for construction Funds and time available for construction

HEAP OR MOUND BREAKWATER

Mount breakwater is a heap or assemblage of undressed stones or blocks of various sizes, thrown at site without any bond and binding materials between adjacent units The foundations for mount breakwater is never prepared nor even observed. Such construction is known as pellmell or rip-rap construction. Because of large voids between adjacent units of construction, settlement occurs for first few years which reduce the crest level inviting frequent redumping of stones at top

COMPONENTS OF MOUND BREAKWATER

1. Interior or hearth or core: function of core is to increase the bulk or size of breakwater which makes construction of mount breakwater economical. Core is usually quarry waste or washed dredged materials which is less pervious. Filter or secondary armours: the size of units (stones) in filter which is laid around the central core is larger than the size of stones in core. Hence such layer is more pervious. The function of filter zone units is to destroy the energy of waves that come through armour layer of stones. Armour blocks: these stones or blocks are like fighters in army, hence the name. they resist major part of force (kinetic energy) of wind and waves. They will be the largest in size and weight.
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2.

3.

CHARACTERISTICS OF MOUND BREAKWATER

Dissipation of kinetic energy by different layers of mound Natural foundation is unprepared None of the layers of construction work are arranged in special bond. No binding materials are to be provided between adjacent units of construction No possibility of sliding between any layers with respect to adjacent units No possibility of overturning as there is no rigidity in construction No possibility of uplift The mound is porous or pervious The mound construction is flexible Unskilled labour can be used in the construction of mound
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RUBBLE MOUND BREAKWATER

Type I: In this type of construction the top core of mound breakwater is above mean sea level. Large volume of core is used to make construction economical. Core is protected from all sides by filter and armour layers.

 Type II: In this type of mound the crest level of core is kept below M.S.L by specified distance x in relation with height of wave dividing the water coming from armour zone into jets and making them collide among themselves.

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ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF MOUND TYPE BREAKWATER

ADVANTAGES: Low in initial cost of materials of construction equipment & labour required. No preparation of foundation. Construction is porous or pervious, base no possibility of uplift. Construction is in pell-mell fashion, bases have no chance of slippage & overturning. Construction is flexible. Dissipates the energy of incoming water waves most efficiently.
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Limitations
Settlement of mound takes places for first few years by adjustment of voids between adjacent stones & rolling down of some stones. Pell mell form of mound construction Projections are chipped by water Stones become round & role down the slope producing gap. Makes the mound weak. Requires huge quantity of materials. Large quantity of materials is likely to be wasted. Such construction cannot be analyzed. Occupy large area of basin. Requires large maintenance.
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CONCRETE BLOCK MOUND BREAKWATER

Concrete blocks having rectangular section with sharp edges are not rough enough and their faces of adjacent blocks are likely to coincide. Hence energy of wave water cannot be killed or dissipated even partly. Only a small amount percentage of energy is dissipate. Also amount of concrete required in casting such blocks will be huge. Casting of concrete blocks of odd shapes and sizes and weight with required irregularity is difficult and costly. Also the transportation from the factory to the site will be costly. Hence concrete block mound breakwater is rare.
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RUBBLE MOUND BREAKWATER SUPPLEMENTED BY CONCRETE BLOCKS

In this type concrete blocks are laid towards seaside of mound to act as extra armour block over the usual armour blocks of rubble stones which are heavy and irregular in shape. Remaining construction is similar to rubble mound breakwater. The concrete blocks can be laid in
Pell-mell fashion Well compacted fashion

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RUBBLE MOUND BREAKWATER SUPPLEMENTED BY PATENTED STONES

After making no. of experiments various countries have developed different types and shapes of concrete blocks which are hydraulically rough as well as stable in any of their positions and do provide permeable construction. Such units are patented by each of the companies for worldwide use. 1. Tetrapods: they are assembly of symmetrically prepared four-legged truncated cones with proper amount of reinforcements. 2. Tribars: they are three legged connected with a plate at mid-height. If properly placed this tribar group will get interlocked and remain stable.
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3. Modified cubes: these are made from ordinary cubes. On each faces of the cubes a long and wide groove is made, which can be used to interlock adjacent units. These are much heavier than tetrapods and tribars, hence, shall resist the forces of incoming waves by impact. 4. Dollosse: an artificial stone is experimented to act as armour block in South Africa. 5. Akman armour: developed in Netherland 6. Stabit armour: experimented and tried in England and New Zealand.

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WALL TYPE BREAKWATER

It is a big regular wall raised to construct a harbour basin on solid natural or artificial foundation to resist the forces and their components generated by incoming water and waves. Types of wall breakwater Wall breakwater of smaller size units Wall breakwaters of large size units Mass concrete units Caissons units

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ESSENTIALS FOR WALL TYPE BREAKWATERS

This type is suitable for sheltered sites & not reliable for very heavy seas. When depth is not great & the bottom is firm, upright wall breakwater could be built. These breakwaters should not be constructed in a depth of water less than twice the greatest storm likely to visit the site of the proposed structure. The sea bed at the site should be resistant to erosion and the foundations should be free from uneven settlements. For sea bed locations having low bearing capacity, a rubble base may be provided to distribute the load on a wider base.
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 For locations having to bed material like silt, soft clay, etc., it is desirable to remove such strata with the dredgers. The sheet piles may also be driven to improve the bearing capacity in locations having low bearing capacity, upto moderate depths. The design should be such that no portion of the breakwater may overturn due to the wave pressure exerted on its surface. It should be seen that no horizontal course of the wall is uplifted and gets dislocated. Wall breakwaters of small units must have proper bond and binding. Wall breakwaters of large units like mass construction must have discontinuity in construction joints.
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ADVANTAGES OF WALL BREAKWATER

Reduces the amount of material Avoids dangers of unequal settlement Increases the size of harbour basin Maintenance cost is least as compared to that of mound breakwater

DISADVANTAGES
Involves building a good height of wall under water

Calls

for

special

case

and

costly

methods

of

construction
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MOUND WITH SUPERSTRUCTURE OR COMPOSITE BREAKWATER

Such construction is adopted to get advantage of mound at bottom as well as to get advantage of solid or rigid construction at top. Solid construction is adopted usually between low water level and high water level. Mound with superstructure are classified into the following two types: Mound with superstructure founded at low water level. Mound with superstructure founded below low water level.

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SPECIAL BREAKWATERS
Floating type breakwater Hydraulic breakwater Pneumatic breakwater

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