Introduction & Appreciation of Various Concrete Wave-Dissipating Blocks

Apr. 18, 2023

Breakwater and bank protection engineering are important parts of harbor construction, and their costs account for a large proportion of the total port construction cost, sometimes as high as 40%–50%. The hydraulic performance of concrete wave-dissipating blocks directly affects the safety of breakwaters, bank protection works and other structures, as well as the embankment section size and crest height. Therefore, developing protective blocks with high stability, low wave reflection, low wave overtopping, economic efficiency and easy construction is an important technical subject.

In 1949, France first developed concrete wave-dissipating blocks. After the patent protection expired, they were widely used worldwide. In the 1960s, many countries began to actively research and develop special-shaped concrete wave-dissipating blocks. Other proprietary designs include the Modified Cube (United States, 1959), the Stabit (United Kingdom, 1961), the Akmon (The Netherlands, 1962), the Dolos (South Africa, 1963), the Stabilopod [ro] (Romania, 1969),[1] the Seabee (Australia, 1978), the Accropode (France, 1981), the Hollow Cube (Germany, 1991), the A-jack (United States, 1998), the Xbloc (The Netherlands, 2001) and KOLOS (India, 2010) among others. To date, more than 100 types of special-shaped concrete blocks have been developed, and research and improvement on common types are still ongoing. Since China’s reform and opening up, large-scale land reclamation and port construction projects have been implemented, further promoting the development of concrete wave-dissipating blocks in China. Tianyuan specializes in the prefabrication, transportation and installation of concrete wave-dissipating blocks, as well as steel mold processing, with strong comprehensive strength and rich practical experience.

At present, various types of concrete wave-dissipating blocks are being researched and applied worldwide. This article introduces several typical types for readers’reference.

1. Tetrapod

Appreciation of various wave elimination blocks