Design of eco blocks for protection of submerged pipeline

In order to protect coastal facilities mainly from wave and current actions, the self-locking eco blocks constituting elements of protecting shore structures against scouring were designed. These blocks are adapted to the sloping bottom, coastal dunes, and submerged coastal pipelines, counteracting the destructive and erosive impulse action. A series of laboratory experiments has been conducted to investigate the reflection of water waves over and against a train of protruded or submerged shore structures and compare the reflecting capabilities of incident waves including wave forces. In this study the hydraulic model experiment was conducted to identify the performance of newly designed water affinity eco blocks to keep the coast slope and bottom mound from scouring by reduction of the wave reflection and to convince stability of the block placement. Revised design of each block element was also tested for field conditions. From the result of experiments, the field applicability of the developed blocks and placement was discussed afterward.