ST. PAUL BREAKWATER, PHASE 1

Torben Sorensen, Ole Juul Jensen

Abstract

The St. Paul Phase 1 berm breakwater was destroyed by two storms within approximately two months of its completion. Investigations made after the failure demonstrate that the cause of the failure was that the breakwater was built from material that was vastly undersized as compared to the recommended minimum rock gradation, and heavily contaminated by fines and overburden from the quarry.