Breakwaters
Seament Shoreline Systems has been installing a breakwater design system since 1995. Open top concrete boxes are used to construct the main body of the breakwater. These Seabox ™ are floated or carried into position and sunk offshore to slow down approaching waves, this allows sand being carried by the wave to fall out, creating a protective beach behind the breakwater. The beaches formed are crescent shaped, sometimes attaching to the back side of the breakwater.
The Seabox™ breakwater covers up about 1/3 of the bottom of a standard rock breakwater and require much less material and labor to install. The walls and bottom of the breakwater create a large surface area exposed to sunlight for sub aquatic grasses to grow and create a calm aquarium-like area for crabs, oysters and fish to thrive in. The flood holes in the box walls allow water and animals to circulate in and out. Silt and sand carried into the boxes quickly create a sub aquatic bottom in which plants can grow. We have 3 different sized boxes in production and a new hex shaped box in testing.
Pilings for a T head pier can be driven around the boxes, which protect the pier from ice and storm damage. Pilings also mark the breakwater’s position during higher than normal tides for boating safety. In high wave energy areas or where the bottom is very soft, scour protection should also be placed in front of the boxes. Breakwaters are normally installed with the top of the breakwaters out of the water from 6” to 2’ above the mean high water mark. Submerged breakwaters that do not break the surface are also possible but they are not as effective stopping waves from high storm surge water levels.