How to take coastal rubble mound structures to the next level

How to take coastal rubble mound structures to the next level
by Staff Writers
Washington DC (SPX) Mar 21, 2023

Dr Louay A Mohammad-former researcher, academic, design consultant, owner representative, engineering manager, and designer-combines theory with practice in his new book A Practical Design Guide for Coastal Rubble Mound Structures. This comprehensive compendium highlights the practical side of the design of the coastal rubble mound structures; from technical information to best practices at every stage. The process covered begins from the project plan to the various sections along the perimeter.

The book enables professional readers to achieve what is normally regarded as a design of a professional level. In this Guide, readers are given step by step guidance on the important practical aspects required to develop designs for coastal rubber mould structures from concept level to detailed stage-including advice on how to develop their plans and how to select the most suitable edge structure.

While the construction material of all rubble mound structures is almost the same; good designers can stand out based on how they use and arrange this material in their designs. How well the material is used is determined by the resulting structure's robustness, functionality, performance, constructability and cost. Engineers usually follow available design guidelines and textbooks to dimension various parts of the structure to satisfy just the two basic elements: robustness and performance. However, A Practical Design Guide for Coastal Rubble Mound Structures plans to take it a step further.

Each chapter of the book deals with a specific construction material or structural element, and covers special issues specific to each material or element as well as how best to utilise them in designs. The different types of construction material are presented and discussed in detail; starting with the core material, to the underlayer, then to the armour blocks (rocks / concrete armour units), including granular filters and geotextiles. All examples are illustrated by a large compilation of actual designs to demonstrate the versatility of rubble mound structures.

Different elements of coastal structures are covered, including the crest, toe and berm, superstructures, shoreline outfalls and outfalls-pipelines-cables through the structure, and many other special elements. All are presented with design examples to demonstrate and explain what the recommended design is, and what is considered as wrong practice. Dredging near marine-coastal structures are also presented with guidance and design examples.

Many engineers are also not aware of how to properly monitor the construction progress. This text mitigates this by providing practical illustrations for different types and sizes of projects, covering both the longitudinal and sectional construction progress.