Specifications and types of seawall structures needed to protect beaches from sand erosion and storm disasters

Abstract

When someone decides to buy a house or any other estate near the shoreline, they do not think that in future nature will impact the value of their asset significantly. Further to the risks of hurricanes or any other natural hazards (such as tsunami), waves are gradually shifting the coastlines by displacing soil from a location to various areas. In recent decades, coasts have been affected by a significant deterioration due to weather conditions, waves, and coastal soil erosion. Hence, it needs precise environmental consideration, and preserves coasts for leisure, specifying reasons that promoted effective technologies from immersed structures to coastal nourishing. Therefore, by constructing sea-walls should prevent shoreline environments, especially the mechanism of sedimentation, long-shore transfer of sand, altering the coasts to the significant proportion which results from weathering and sea waves sever. In this paper, an overview submitted to the kinds of seawalls and specifications needed to sustain the seawalls. There explained the positive and negative effects of seawalls on coastal area, and the required factors to enhance seawalls stabilization against overturning and sliding failure. Also, the developed types of seawall structures have been identified that, in addition to the more practical vertical model, the stepped, rubble-mound, and curves have also been designed. It is recommended to coastal structure designer and engineers, in the pre-construction stage should precisely be studied on the coast situation and weathering conditions in the area, that is essential to make sustainable decisions and designs for construction of these structures.