2,317
TITANBag® Units
10,000
yd³ Sand Fill
IFAI
2017 Award of Excellence
$10M+
Estimated Cost Savings
The project involved constructing a geotextile sand container revetment to protect a home and nearby infrastructure from coastal erosion. Because state regulations prohibited conventional hardened structures like seawalls or sheet piles, a permitted soft-engineering solution was used. The design incorporated 2,317 hydraulically filled TITANBags® with self-sealing fill ports, measuring 5 feet wide and 10 to 15 feet long, to create a durable revetment that stabilized the shoreline.
The TITANBag® units were fabricated from sand-colored geotextile to blend with the surrounding beach environment during periods when storm events temporarily eroded the protective sand cover, until it was replaced through routine beach maintenance. The fabric’s high permeability facilitated rapid water flow during hydraulic filling, significantly reducing fill times and overall installation duration.
The project faced several challenges, including the loss of the original construction work area due to erosion and migration of the adjacent tidal channel. This required major design modifications, including an oversized anti-scour apron and revised installation methods. Regulatory constraints also required demonstrating imminent erosion threats and obtaining variances for structure dimensions. Additional challenges included integrating the sand container revetment with an existing stone revetment while protecting the geotextile material from abrasion and movement.
The solution involved redesigning installation methods for the anti-scour apron to allow secure placement and controlled sinking within the tidal channel, preventing undercutting as the channel migrated and deepened. A regulatory variance approved a larger revetment footprint and elevation. A Flintex™ composite fabric cushioning layer was incorporated to protect the interface between sand containers and stone revetment. After construction, the structure was covered with sand and stabilized with salt-tolerant vegetation to provide UV protection, encourage accretion, and improve aesthetics.
Project Features
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