Author(s): Francisco Taveira Pinto; Marlene Bessa; Luciana Das Neves
Linked Author(s): Francisco Taveira Pinto
Keywords: Coastal revetments; Wave attack; Scour development; Design recommendations; Physical modelling
Abstract: A wide range of revetment systems may be used in coastal zones for purposes that include, but are not limited to, the protection against erosion and the reduction of wave overtopping events. The design process of a revetment of whatever material on which it is constructed with is site specific and involves considerations on: governing hydraulic parameters with respect to waves and currents; structural parameters and concepts; and governing geotechnical parameters. For each of which a range of suitable scenarios should be identified for evaluation on safety, serviceability, and use and exploitation, across the revetment design life. This paper discusses coastal revetment design, and presents selected results from 2D-experiments conducted at the Laboratory of Hydraulics of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto to compare the performance of different coastal revetment cross-sections’ configurations under wave action, in which the boundary hydraulic conditions set out extreme levels of physical events for use in the design of coastal protection works in Portugal. The tests aimed at studying the influence of, inter alia, the foundation level, the presence of a berm, and the influence of smooth or rough slopes, to prevent failure of the structure form scour. The results showed that: (i) the structure with a berm is the one performing better in all pertinent parameters; (ii) transient conditions are important to scour development, and (iii) porous sloping structures are not necessarily less susceptible to scour under irregular wave trains.
Year: 2013