Abstract
Areas along the Texas Gulf Intracoastal Waterway ographics. (GIWW) are currently eroding and wetlands are being jeopardized and if not combated, the loss of wetlands is inevitable. The use of gestures to prevent this loss is a novel and less costly method. Geotubes have been used in many applications such as groins, revetments, containment dikes, breakwaters, reclamation works, dune reinforcement, and can be used along the GIWW. With the advent of high strength synthetics, gestures can be filled directly from a hydraulic dredge with dredged material. Geotubes placed along the GIWW are designed to withstand the pressures of filling, provide sufficient permeability, contain the dredged material, and resist erosion once in place. They are designed based on the soil characteristics of the material, and software has been developed to aid in the design. A major concern however is scour around these structures once in place. Scour aprons are a standard method to prevent scour. A multi use cost estimation tool was developed to estimate the cost of a gesture project and estimate the time for a project and estimates the amount of material needed to fill the tube. Two examples illustrated that a gesture project along the GIWW can coexist with a maintenance dredging project. A physical model built in a shallow water wave basin was used to model the effects of a passing barge on the hydrodynamics around a gesture. Results showed that velocities around the end of a gesture are the greatest and other methods besides an apron may be needed to prevent scour and preserve the structure.
Cobb, David Earl (1999). Geotubes for erosion control along the Texas Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. Master's thesis, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /ETD -TAMU -1999 -THESIS -C63.