Articulating Block Mat Revetment for Whaler's Village

by Robert A. Nathan, Moffatt & Nichol, Engineers, Long Beach, United States,
David G. Cannon, Moffatt & Nichol, Engineers, Long Beach, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Coastal Engineering Practice

Abstract:

The desire of homeowners to live along the California coastline presents the engineer with many unique design opportunities and constraints. Housing built atop coastal cliffs and bluffs must allow for the potential of landslides and smaller ground motions, while residential structures built along the beach must provide adequate protection from coastal inundation and wave action. One of the primary reasons people choose to live along the coastline is to have an unobstructed ocean view. Unfortunately for the coastal engineer, structures affording the most protection usually do so at the expense of this view. Therefore, it becomes the coastal engineer's task to develop a structure which will provide adequate protection to the residence while preserving the resident's view of the ocean. Construction of 17 private beachfront condominiums at Whaler's Village in Malibu, California was completed in 1969. The structures are supported by concrete caissons which require a minimum sand cover of three feet. Storm activity over the years caused erosion of the beach fronting the structures resulting in emergency placement of rock to protect the foundation. After more storm damage was sustained in the harsh winter of 1982-83, the-Whaler's Village homeowners decided to proceed with the design of seawall. The two functions of the seawall were to (1) provide and maintain an adequate sand level for foundation integrity, and (2) prevent wave impact and runup damage to the condominiums.

Subject Headings: Coastal protection structures | Residential buildings | Ocean waves | Erosion | Coastal management | Beaches | Sea walls | California | United States

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