Shoreline and Coastal Protection and Rebuilding Apparatus and Method

Abstract

Shoreline and Coastal Protection and Rebuilding Apparatus and Method having a plurality of slanted wall sections in a rising stepped formation with open areas between, arrayed on frame structures, which dissipates wave energy in a gradual and controlled way and which neutralizes the impact of a wave and its backwash, thereby protecting the shoreline, and which allows for the settling of sediment, thereby rebuilding the shoreline, while allowing tidal exchange of water and the migration of aquatic species, using modular components that can be manufactured and deployed at low cost and in a manner suited to remote shoreline deployment.

1 . An apparatus for shoreline and coastal protection and rebuilding to be deployed along a shoreline, the shoreline having a landward and a waterward side and a ground level, the apparatus comprising:
 more than one frame structure, said frame structure having a cross-line dimension substantially perpendicular to said shoreline;   more than one wall section arranged upon said frame structures, said wall section having a face, said wall section face having an in-line dimension substantially parallel to said shoreline, a cross-line dimension substantially perpendicular to said shoreline, a lower edge along the in-line dimension, and an upper edge along the in-line dimension and separated from said lower edge by said cross-line dimension; and   open space between said wall sections arranged on said frame structures;   wherein a first wall section is arranged upon said frame structures with said lower edge substantially in contact with the ground at the shoreline and with said upper edge higher off the ground and farther landward than said lower edge, causing said face of said wall section to slant upward and landward, the subsequent wall sections being arranged upon said frame structure farther landward and higher off the ground than an immediately preceding wall section, causing said apparatus to extend upward and landward, with said open space between said wall sections, and with said lower edge of an immediately subsequent wall section being closer to ground level than the upper edge of an immediately preceding wall section.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus for shoreline and coastal protection and rebuilding of  claim 1 , wherein the profile of said wall section face is selected from the group consisting essentially of flat, angled, curved, reverse-facing, and double-facing. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus for shoreline and coastal protection and rebuilding of  claim 1 , wherein said frame structures are securely attached to the ground by pilings. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus for shoreline and coastal protection and rebuilding of  claim 1 , wherein said frame structures are securely attached to the ground by cleats. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus for shoreline and coastal protection and rebuilding of  claim 1 , wherein said apparatus is stabilized against wave action by at least one shift plate. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus for shoreline and coastal protection and rebuilding of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one water control wall. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus for shoreline and coastal protection and rebuilding of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one seal plate. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus for shoreline and coastal protection and rebuilding of  claim 1 , wherein said slant of said wall sections is in the approximate range of twenty to sixty degrees. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus for shoreline and coastal protection and rebuilding of  claim 1 , wherein said slant of said wall sections is in the range of twenty-five to forty-five degrees. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus for shoreline and coastal protection and rebuilding of  claim 1 , wherein said slant of said wall sections is thirty degrees. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus for shoreline and coastal protection and rebuilding of  claim 1 , wherein said wall sections are arranged with said upper edge of said first wall section below the low-tide water level and the upper edge of a third said subsequent wall section below the high-tide water level. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus for shoreline and coastal protection and rebuilding of  claim 1 , wherein said apparatus is buoyant. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus for shoreline and coastal protection and rebuilding of  claim 1 , further comprising unit wall sections of said wall sections arranged together. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus for shoreline and coastal protection and rebuilding of  claim 1 , wherein said apparatus is deployed in a substantially opposite-facing orientation. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus for shoreline and coastal protection and rebuilding of  claim 1 , further comprising migration wall sections of said wall sections having openings for the migration of aquatic species. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus for shoreline and coastal protection and rebuilding of  claim 1 , further comprising a universal frame structure. 
   
   
       17 . An apparatus for shoreline and coastal protection and rebuilding to be deployed along a shoreline, the shoreline having a landward and a waterward side and a ground level, the apparatus comprising:
 more than one frame structure means, said frame structure means having a cross-line dimension substantially perpendicular to said shoreline;   more than one wall section means arranged upon said frame structures, said wall section means having a face, said wall section means face having an in-line dimension substantially parallel to said shoreline, a cross-line dimension substantially perpendicular to said shoreline, a lower edge along the in-line dimension, and an upper edge along the in-line dimension and separated from said lower edge by said cross-line dimension; and   open space between said wall sections means arranged on said frame structures means;   wherein a first wall section means is arranged upon said frame structures with said lower edge substantially in contact with the ground at the shoreline and with said upper edge higher off the ground and farther landward than said lower edge, causing said face of said wall section means to slant upward and landward, the subsequent wall sections means being arranged upon said frame structure farther landward and higher off the ground than an immediately preceding wall section means, causing said apparatus to extend upward and landward, with said open space between said wall sections means, and with said lower edge of an immediately subsequent wall section means being closer to ground level than the upper edge of an immediately preceding wall section means.   
   
   
       18 . A method for shoreline and coastal protection and rebuilding to be deployed along a shoreline, the shoreline having a landward and a waterward side and a ground level, the method comprising:
 providing more than one frame structure, said frame structure having a cross-line dimension substantially perpendicular to said shoreline;   providing more than one wall section arranged upon said frame structures, said wall section having a face, said wall section face having an in-line dimension substantially parallel to said shoreline, a cross-line dimension substantially perpendicular to said shoreline, a lower edge along the in-line dimension, and an upper edge along the in-line dimension and separated from said lower edge by said cross-line dimension; and   providing open space between said wall sections arranged on said frame structures;   wherein a first wall section is arranged upon said frame structures with said lower edge substantially in contact with the ground at the shoreline and with said upper edge higher off the ground and farther landward than said lower edge, causing said face of said wall section to slant upward and landward, the subsequent wall sections being arranged upon said frame structure farther landward and higher off the ground than an immediately preceding wall section, causing said apparatus to extend upward and landward, with said open space between said wall sections, and with said lower edge of an immediately subsequent wall section being closer to ground level than the upper edge of an immediately preceding wall section.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said wall sections arranged on said frame structures with said open spaces dissipate the force of incoming waves by segregating portions of the wave's force and redirecting said portions of the wave's force to dissipate said wave's force. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein modular units of said wall sections arranged on said frame structures with said open spaces are made buoyant.