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Buried
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Buried
Structure
Buried structure is a term
I use to describe a hydrologic-friendly structural component
covered with burial or facing sediment (overburden is a
similar term for soil and sediment that covers a geologic
point of interest like a near-surface mineral deposit).
Facing sediment is the sand that would cover buried
structure in order to make it look like a natural sand dune
(or close to it).
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Buried
structures on Daytona Beach Florida. Imagery taken
on 8/20/05 by Hesco-Bastion.
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Concept - Natural
Shore Protection
It is relatively easy to build a structure such as a
concrete seawall or sheetpile seawall along a coast to
prevent erosion of the land behind the structure. One issue
with concrete or sheetpile seawalls is hydrology. These
materials are not conducive to the flow of water in the
ground as they are not very permeable. Building impermeable
seawalls, then burying those structures will disrupt the
natural groundwater hydrology of the coastal ecosystem.
Using a structure that mimics the natural hydology of the
local groundwater flow is good for the coastal ecosystem.
Therefore, any structure that is buried must use native
sediments, but allow for the retention of those sediments
when the structure is exposed to the erosive action of the
storm after the facing sediment is removed by storm erosion.
Finally, once exposed, the buried structure must protect the
shoreline resources it was designed to protect when it was
installed.
Wire Baskets Lined
with Geotextile Material
The Hesco-Bastion
Company in
Hammond, LA has a product consisting of a wire basket lined
with geotextile material that allows native sediment to be
used as the basket filler sediment. Baskets are connected
into straight or curved lines and filled with sediment. Once
filled, another line is placed on top of the previously
filled line and the new line is filled. In this manner, a
tall structural line is built. Native sediment is then used
to bury the structural line as shown below. Download
a short information paper as a PDF file. A concept for use
with paved road surfaces in sandy environment is shown
below.

More information on the
concept of buried structure as an erosion control method for
coastal preservation will be presented at the
FSBPA
conference in
Sarasota in February 2006. This conference will be focused
on beach preservation technology.
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