Process based stability formulae for coastal structures made of geotextile sand containers

Abstract

Geotextile Sand Containers (GSC) are increasingly used worldwide for shore protection structures such as seawalls, groins, breakwaters, revetments and artificial reefs. However, reliable design formulae for the hydraulic stability based on a good understanding of the processes involved in the wave-structure interactions are still needed. Although the effect of the deformations of the sand containers on the hydraulic stability is significant, no stability formula is available to account for those deformations and the associated processes leading to the observed failures. Therefore, based on the results of extensive experimental and numerical studies ([Recio J. 2008, Hydraulic Stability of Geotextile Sand Containers for Coastal Structures – Effect of Deformations and Stability Formulae – PhD Thesis, Leichtweiss Institute for Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources, www.digibib.tu-bs.de/?docid=00021899]), analytical stability formulae are developed that account for the effect of the deformations of the individual GSCs for sliding and overturning stability. The required drag, inertia and lift coefficients are determined experimentally from hydraulic model experiments specially designed for this purpose. Several types of GSC configurations which are representative for a wide range of GSC-structure types are investigated under wave action. Moreover, deformation factors to account for the deformation of the containers on the stability are analytically derived and implemented in the stability formulae. Finally, Stability formulae for each type of coastal structures made of geotextile sand containers such as breakwaters, revetments, sea walls, dune reinforcement and scour protection systems are proposed and recommendations are given with respect to the practical application of the proposed hydraulic stability formula, including their limitations.