US 4,966,491 AGranted

Subsurface dune protection system and method

OwnerJay W. Sampleinventor

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Abstract

A Subsurface Dune Protection System making use of a wedge-shaped geotextile container of such size it must be filled with a sand slurry or water in situ. The wedge-shape permits provision of a slope to an upper wave impacting surface for dissipation of wave forces and accretion of sand on a dune surface being protected. The container can be divided into cells so that each cell presents a particular wave impacting surface as the cells increase in height as they progress landward. The cells are formed by walls of impermeable material for filling with water in rapid emergency installations and can later be filled with wet sand as the water is displaced for a permanent installation. The impermeable walls cause the sand to remain wet substantially increasing weight of the container. The substantial length, width and weight of the container provide significant resistance to storm wave forces.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A subsurface dune protection system comprising a generally wedge-shaped single inflatable container capable of being deployed on a dune surface being protected in a deflated condition;

said container being substantially right triangular in cross-section with a generally horizontal base wall, a generally vertical back wall positioned adjacent a dune escarpment, and an upper sloped wave impacting wall sloping downwardly seaward connecting with said base surface at the wedge cutting edge;
internal divider walls separating said single container into a plurality of separate cells extending parallel to one another and parallel to the adjacent shoreline;
said container and said cells extending a substantial distance along the shoreline;
a first of said cells being positioned at the wedge cutting edge and defining a first portion of said sloping wall;
each additional said cells increasing in height defining higher portions of said sloping wall as they progress landward;
and a toe scour tube attached to the cutting edge and extending parallel the full length of said container;
said toe scour tube preventing wave undercutting of said wedge cutting edge;
said cell sloping walls being convex curved when said cells are inflated by filling with wet sand.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.