Large-scale physical model tests on thestability of geotextile tubes under wave attack

Period:	08/2008-12/2009
Client:	Deltares Research Programme

assignment/short description

Geotextile elements such as geotextile tubes or containers are considered more and more as a
serious alternative material for coastal protection. With this research Deltares anticipates on the
growing pressure to use alternatives to natural rock or concrete because of the high impact to the
ecosystem and the landscape in consequence of mining these materials.

Uncertainty with respect to the stability of geotextile tubes under wave attack is one of the reasons
why these systems are not applied widely. Therefore Deltares performed, within its Strategic Research
Programme, large-scale physical model tests focussing on the stability of geotextile tubes
under wave attack.

This has been done in the Delta Flume of Deltares, which is among the largest
flumes of the world. This flume, in which waves with a significant wave height up to approximately
1.5 m can be generated, has a lenght of of 240 m, a width of 5 m and a depth of 7 m. Based on
this large-scale physical model investigation a general stability formulae has been derived.