PERFORMANCE OP SAND-FILLED TUBE SHORE PROTECTION TUKTOYAKTUK, NORTH WEST TERRITORIES, CANADA

Abstract

Seawalls, revetments and groynes designed to protect shorelines require normally timber, natural stone or concrete for their construction. In Tuktoyaktuk, none of these materials is available and to avoid excessive costs, an alternative form of construction, using long sausage shaped tubes filled with sand, was devised on an experimental basis. Tuktoyaktuk is situated on the eastern side of Kugmallit Bay in the Western Arctic at north latitude of 69 deg. 27' and west longitude of 133 deg. 02'. It is approximately 90 miles north of Inuvik and 1450 miles northwest of Edmonton (figure 1). The area is mainly comprised of a long, narrow, boot-shaped peninsula oriented in approximately north-south direction, a complex lagoon, which has been developed as a harbour, east of the peninsula and an island straddling the mouth of the lagoon (figure 2). Certain dwellings exist at the southern and southeasterly shores of Tuktoyaktuk Harbour. A large majority of the inhabitants reside in settlements developed on the peninsula and the southern area linking the peninsula with the mainland. Tuktoyaktuk is used as a transfer point linking the Mackenzie River barge transport with coastwide shipping serving the western arctic seaboard and inland settlements and bases. As a result of this the TCJK settlement has grown to be the largest of the western arctic coast settlements.