94
TITANTubes® Deployed
100K+
Cubic Yards of Sand
12
Barrier Islands Created
IFAI
Award of Excellence
In 2004, Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne severely damaged the Fort Pierce City Marina. To permanently protect the inner basin, engineers designed a nature-based mitigation plan featuring 12 barrier islands within the Indian River Lagoon.
Tern Island, the largest feature, required a structural core to hold 100,000+ cubic yards of dredged sand against extreme tides. The solution utilized high-strength, sand-filled TITANTube® geotextile units by Flint Technical Geosolutions. The project won the IFAI Award of Excellence for blending structural survivability with ecological restoration.
In this area, tidal exchanges generate current velocities up to 2.0 meters per second (4.5 knots), causing a tendency for unfilled tubes to shift and roll during deployment. Additionally, the Indian River Lagoon is a fragile ecosystem — pumping sand slurry affected the surrounding environment, and strict manatee watching and turbidity controls were required throughout the project. The intense UV exposure and abrasive coastal environment posed a further challenge, as many tubes were exposed to the elements for an extended period, requiring the use of specialized, highly UV-resistant TITANTube® geotextile units.
Stone-filled mattresses were laid adjacent to the tube alignment to prevent scour. A specialized installer carefully aligned TITANTubes® up to 45′ circumference and filled them with sand slurry, stacking them in some areas according to the project plans. The sand-filled tubes formed the structural perimeter of Tern Island, which was then filled with dredged material to create a permanent, stable landform within the lagoon.
Superior UV Stability: Engineered to withstand prolonged exposure in coastal environments. High Interface Friction: Contributes to stack stability and sand build-up over time. Exceptional Tear Resistance: Specialized geotextile resists tear propagation in demanding installation conditions.
Project Features
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