CASE HISTORIES OF CORPS BREAKWATER AND JETTY STRUCTURES
NEW ENGLAND DIVISION
INTRODUCTION
Background
The US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is responsible for a wide
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variety of coastal structures located on the Atlantic, Pacific, and gulf
coasts, the Great Lakes, the Hawaiian Islands, other islands, and inland
waterways. Coastal improvements such as breakwaters or jetties are necessary
to provide harbor protection and the safe passage of vessels. These struc-
tures are subjected continuously to wave and current forces and usually are
constructed on top of movable-bed materials. Under these conditions struc-
tural deterioration may occur and, at some point, maintenance, repair, or
rehabilitation may be required when the structure deteriorates and/or fails to
serve the existing needs of the project. Some of these projects have been
maintained for 150 years or more. Methods of construction and repair have
varied significantly during this time, due principally to a better under-
standing of coastal processes, availability of construction materials, exist-
ing wave climates, regional construction practices, and economic
considerations.
Purpose
The purposes of this report are t o provide insight into the scope,
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magnitude, and history of coastal breakwaters and jetties under Corps juris-
diction; determine their maintenance and repair history; determine their
methods of construction; and make this information available to Corps
personnel. To accomplish these objectives, case histories of Corps breakwater
and jetty structures have been developed to quantify past and present problem
areas (if any), to take steps to rectify these problems, and to subsequently
evaluate the remedial measures. General design guidance can be obtained from
the solutions that have been most successful. Information in this report
should be of particular value to the Corps personnel in the US Army Engineer
Division, New England (NED), and possibly to non-Corps personnel. Further
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