BREAK WATER

MODULE 6
BREAK WATER
DEFINITION
The protective barrier constructed to enclose harbour and to keep the harbour waters
undisturbed by the effect of heavy and strong seas are called breakwaters
 used for safe anchorage of ships
To facilitate loading and unloading in undisturbed sea
 Main function – to break the momentum of water : breaks the force of incoming wind and
waves.
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
 A breakwater is a large pile of rocks built parallel to the shore. It is designed to block the waves.
Some breakwaters are below the water's surface (a submerged breakwater).
 Breakwaters are usually built to provide calm waters for harbors and artificial marinas. •
Submerged breakwaters are built to reduce beach erosion. These may also be referred to as
artificial "reefs."
 A breakwater can be offshore, underwater or connected to the land. As with groins and jetties,
when the long shore current is interrupted, a breakwater will dramatically change the profile of
the beach.
ALIGNMENT
Should have straight covering arms
Angle of intersection does not exceed 60 degrees.
Avoid straight or diverging arms running out to sea.

DESIGN INFORMATIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS

Information to be collected before designing
Character of costal currents
Cost of availability of materials of constructions
Directions and force of prevailing winds
Nature of the bottom foundations
Probable maximum height, forece and intensity of waves
THREE IMPORTANT RULES TO BE OBSERVED BEFORE DESIGN OF BW
 Design should be based on extreme condition of wind and waves.
 Height should be determined by using the equation H = 0.34F
 Material in the foundation is not subject to scour
FORCES ACTING ON BW
 Hydrostatic force
 External force
 Solvent action of sea water
 Sea insects
CLASSIFICATIONS OF BREAK WATERS
1. Heap or mound breakwater
a) Rubble mound breakwater
b) Concrete mount break water
c) Rubble mount break water supplemented by concrete blocks
d) Rubble mount break water supplemented by patented stones

2. Mound with super structure or composite break waters

3. Upright wall breakwater
4. Special breakwaters
SELECTION OF TYPE OF BREAKWATER
1. Availability pf construction material
2. Depth of water at site of construction
3. Nature of natural foundation
4. Equipment available for construction
5. Funds and time available for construction
ASSIGNMENT 4
SEMINAR
QUAYS
Unit at a port that helps in the efficient process of loading and unloading of cargo and
passengers safely.
Can be
Fixed in the form of stationary platforms known as quay, wharves, piers and jetties
 Movable in the form of cranes of various capacities on rails, conveyors, escalators, vacuum
pumps etc
A QUAY
PIERS
Structures which are built perpendicular to the shore of a river or sea are known as piers.
Constructed in case where sea is not deepand natural harbour is not convenient for allowing the
ships to berth.
In most casers piers are constructed with piles, columns and braces leaving good space for the
ocean current
PIER
Pier consist of the following parts

1. The floor:
◦ made of timber for small piers
◦ Made of concrete for large piers

2. The supporting part:

◦ Includes foundation and substructure
PIERHEADS
Structure constructed at the tip of a breakwater near harbour entrance
 helps in marking the entrance correctly
Protects the breakwater section adjacent to it as it is exposed to three tides.
Usually furnished with lanterns or lights
Should be designed to withstand the impacts of the largest ship to use the
harbour.
A pierhead
WHARVES
The landing places or platforms in the form of walls built near shore for vessels
to berth are known as wharves.
Affords a working platform alongside the ship in continuity of the shore
Term wharf is generally used for open or framed structure of piles or post with
bracings
Wharf may be a sheet pile wall or it may consist of apiled projection with or
without artificial retention of soil
A WHARF
JETTIES
Structures in the form of piled projections
Built out from the shore to deep water.
In sea, jetties are provided at places where harbour entrance is affected by
littoral drift or sea is shallow for long distance
A jetty
Difference b/w wharf and jetty
WHARF JETTY

Berth parallel to shore Berth is perpendicular to shore

Berth on one side only (has back fill) Berths on two faces
 TRANSIT SHEDS
heds of one or two storeys in height
FloSor area is for handling and distribution of incoming and outgoing of cargo
requiring protection.
Usually used for a short period of time ( 3 to 5days )to load into the vessel.
 used for sorting of good in case of mixed cargo
REQUIREMENTS
 Rapid opening doors
 Extensible mobile cranes
 Light and fire resisting construction
 Ample lighting skylight as well as artificial lights
 Modern fire fighting arrangements, alarms etc.
 Should be adjacent to quay
 Provision of road or rail for quick transfer of load
A TRANSIT SHED
WAREHOUSES
Permanent structure provided on shore.
directly behind transit sheds for gods to be stored for longer periods.
Also known as godowns
Usually RCC Structures with many floors
Fire resistant
Includes buildings devoted for special storages like grains , meat etc
A WAREHOUSE
NAVIGATIONAL AIDS
Ships have to be guided by proper signals during navigation
For safe , efficient, economic and comfortable travel
The type of facility required will depend upon the nature of
waterway
oto avoid dangerous zones like hidden rocky outcrops and sand bars
oTo follow proper harbour approaches
oTo locate ports during night and cloudy conditions
 Includes illuminated signals or light either fixed or floating
LIGHT HOUSES
Tall tower structure usually built in masonry or RCC
Tower divided in to conventional number of floors
Powerful lighting equipment in the top most floor
located on shores or islands
Lights are characterised as fixed, flashing or occulting
Source is fixed and frames containing lenses are made to
rotate
Lights of light house
SIGNALS
Signals are required in the following locations:
 Approaching channels of modern ports should be clearly marked
 Places of change of direction of ship routes
 Beacons are to be fixed on river banks
 Buoys are required at the entrance channels to ports

Requirements of signals
 Should be visible from long distances
 Should not vary in character
 Simple for identification, make meaning clear at glance
 Permit time for easy response
 TYPES OF SIGNALS
1. LIGHT SIGNALS
2. FOG SIGNALS
3. AUDIBLE SIGNALS
LIGHT SIGNALS
i. Light ships
 displacing about 5000 kN are used
Lantern is carried on open steel tower
9 to 12 m above the water surface
consist of 4 pair of mirror reflectors emitting number of flashes.
Ships provided with service persons and are anchored.
ii BEACONS
 Any prominent object, naturally or artificially constructed
 Probably able to indicate and guide in navigation
 hill summit, church steeple, factory chiminy etc could all be made use of as beacons
 Can be in the shape of open tapering frame work

Iii BUOYS
Floating structure of small size
Marking entrance, approach channels boundaries etc
Made or ancored with thw hlp of heavy chains
FOG SIGNALS
located in places affected by fog:
 Ordinary bells struck by hand
 Ordinary bells operated by mechanism
 Submarine bells struck by mechanism
 Whistles or sirens blown by compressed air

AUDIBLE SIGNALS
 Used in emergency to bring immediate attention of the mariners
 Takes the form of explosive signals, electric ocillators, sirens, bells etc
 Used in heavy rains, wind and fog
MOORINGS
Devices provided where anchorage water is limited
Not necessary in all the harbours but needed when the vessels need to load and unload in any
situation
Anchorage area for mooring should be sufficiently deep