PentaPod: A new type of concrete armor for coastal protection

Abstract

This paper explores PentaPod, an invention in concrete armor units developed to protect coastal areas from damage caused by waves and currents. Until now, there hasn't been an armor unit intentionally designed to enhance its stability through connections with neighboring units. PentaPod provides a novel perspective, suggesting that the stability of armor units can be significantly improved not only by having substantial weight and effective interlocking but also by securely connecting them to each other. With this in mind, PentaPod concrete armor can be installed in a random or regular manner without the need for fasteners. Alternatively, it can also be installed regularly in layers with fasteners. Compared to conventional concrete armor installations, the overall stability of structures is significantly improved with interconnected PentaPod, either partially or entirely. In this paper, the results of testing the Stability Coefficient (Kd) for two variations of armor, namely PentaCone and PentaOcta, tested in a Wave Tank are also presented. The objective of this testing is to ascertain the stability coefficient for both variations of armor when installed randomly or regularly without any tying involved. The PentaPod arrangement allows for the implementation of both Grey Protection (using concrete armor) and Green Protection (conservation of mangrove areas) simultaneously, showcasing its versatility and integrated approach to coastal protection.