Beach protection

The beach in front of the hotel Royal Bay Kavarna (Bulgaria) suffered from severe erosion, so the hotel owner was forced to fill the beach annually to maintain its recreational value. Beaches are an important source of recreation, and the loss of beaches leads to both economic losses and a decline in tourism. Therefore, a long-lasting solution to erosion was used here.

A soft barrier, also known as an artificial reef or breakwater, was used as a permanent solution against the erosion of the beach. With a length of approx. 100 m, a pipe circumference of 9.4 m and a maximum fill height of 1.6 m, this was installed in a water depth of 2 m. To protect against further erosion and scouring, so-called scour mats with anchor tubes were woven onto the edges of the skirt, which were then laid under the hose. In addition, the seabed was levelled in advance and protruding elements were removed so that a continuous even barrier was created. The breakwater was installed with sufficient overlap, as it consists of several pipes.

The tube system offers a versatile means of installing protective structures underwater. The main advantages offered by the use of tubes are:

- the use of locally sourced sand as filling material

- the rapid colonization by marine flora and fauna

- the long term erosion control function

- the construction of a continuous barrier guaranteed by the large- volume tubes

- the harmonious integration in landscape setting due to sand-colored finish