Breakwater, artificial offshore structure protecting a harbour, anchorage, or marina basin from water

waves. Breakwaters are erosion-control structures that usually run parallel to the shore to protect the

shore from the full force of incoming waves. There are two basic types of breakwater: floating and

fixed. Breakwaters are intended to protect homes and beaches, but as man-made structures they have

some aesthetic and environmental disadvantages.

Breakwaters have a very long history. Allegedly, the oldest existing breakwater is the rubble

mound breakwater built in Civitavecchia, Italy, during the era of Roman emperor Trajan in the 1st

century A.D

What's the Need of Breakwater?

Breakwaters are built to provide shelter from waves to manipulate the littoral/sand transport

conditions and thereby to trap some sand entrance inside the Anchorage Area.

Two Types of Breakwater

1. FIXED BREAKWATER

 Rubble Mound- the largest waves require rubble mound structures that are able to absorb wave

energy.

 Vertical wall -A wall or upright or vertical faced breakwater is defined as a big regular wall

raised to construct a harbor basin on solid natural or/and artificial foundation to resist the forces

and their components generated by incoming water and waves.

2. FLOATING BREAKWATER- Floating breakwaters can be used for smaller wave heights and

periods, and allow for transient moorage space.

Advantages of Floating Breakwaters

Floating breakwaters are moored, box-like or pontoon-like structures placed out from the shoreline to

break up wave intensity.

Floating breakwaters are effective in wave heights of less than 6.5 feet.

They are appropriate for use in areas where poor soil conditions make a fixed breakwater unfeasible and

are less expensive to install than fixed breakwaters.

Floating breakwaters do not interfere with water flow, fish migration or the movement of sediment and

can be easily moved or rearranged.

Floating breakwaters are also often more aesthetically pleasing than fixed breakwaters.

Disadvantages of Floating Breakwaters

Floating breakwaters are not effective in areas with high or fast-moving waves. In heavy storms these

breakwaters are subject to failure, and if they come detached from their moorings they can become a

danger. Floating breakwaters have the advantage of being detachable when not in use, but the labor costs

to replace the breakwater can be high when compared to a fixed breakwater.

Advantages of Fixed Breakwaters

Fixed breakwaters usually consist of mounded rubble or concrete barriers. These types of breakwaters

offer protection from high and fast-moving waves and can still offer protection even if mildly damaged

in heavy storms. Stone or rubble dislocated by heavy waves can be easily repaired without having to

replace the entire structure. Some aquatic creatures use breakwaters as a habitat, and fixed breakwaters

placed with open segments allow free movement of aquatic wildlife.

Disadvantages of Fixed Breakwaters

Fixed breakwaters are semi-permanent structures that require construction by a knowledgeable person

with an understanding of the area's wave transmission. Construction costs can be relatively high when

compared to floating breakwaters. Breakwaters that are continuous can pose an ecological hazard when

placed in wetlands by barring organisms from entering or leaving. Fixed breakwaters are often an

eyesore -- an aesthetically displeasing sight on the shoreline.