DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF GROINS

Abstract

Groins are frequently used for shore protection and improvement. Not infrequently the owner of shore property who has had groins built to protect or improve his property is disappointed with the results. More often than not this unhappy situation must be attributed to the fact that too much was expected by the owner. The owner in such a case is not properly to be criticized, because a great deal remains to be learned about groins; their effects, their proper design and construction. In the present state of the art of shore protection and improvement it is not possible to design and build groins without facing numerous uncertainties, particularly in the area of advance determination of the results which will be accomplished. This condition is faced frankly at the very beginning of this paper and should be kept in mind throughout the consideration of the subject of groin design and construction. This paper presents a digest of what is considered by the writer to be the best current practice. No pretense is made for the development of original ideas on the subject. The writer is indebted to many engineers who have contributed accounts of their experiences to the literature, and to the members of the Beach Erosion Board and its staff, especially Dr. Martin A. Mason.