Barrier assembly for shoreline

Abstract

There is disclosed a barrier assembly ( 1 ) for shoreline preservation or restoration comprising a gabion having opposed side walls ( 13,15 ) connected together at spaced intervals along the length of the gabion by a plurality of partition walls ( 7,9 ), the spaces between neighbouring pairs of partition walls defining, together with the side walls, at least one individual compartment ( 7 ) of the gabion, the at least one individual compartment of the gabion being bounded by the respective opposed side walls or by opposed side wall sections of the respective opposed side walls, the partition walls being pivotally connected to the side walls, the individual compartment of the gabion having extending therefrom in a direction away from the individual compartment convergent at least partly open framework panels ( 21 ) forming or forming part of a protuberant compartment ( 5 ) on the gabion. A method of preserving and restoring a shoreline, and use of a barrier assembly is also disclosed.

1 . A barrier assembly for shoreline preservation or restoration comprising a gabion having opposed side walls connected together at spaced intervals along the length of the gabion by a plurality of partition walls, the spaces between neighbouring pairs of partition walls defining, together with the side walls, at least one individual compartment of the gabion, the at least one individual compartment of the gabion being bounded by the respective opposed side walls or by opposed side wall sections of the respective opposed side walls, the partition walls being pivotally connected to the side walls, the individual compartment of the gabion having extending therefrom in a direction away from the individual compartment convergent at least partly open framework panels forming or forming part of a protuberant compartment on the gabion. 
     
     
         2 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 1 , comprising a multi-compartmental gabion having opposed side walls connected together at spaced intervals along the length of the gabion by a plurality of partition walls, the spaces between neighbouring pairs of partition walls defining, together with the side walls, individual compartments of the multi-compartmental gabion, individual compartments of the multi-compartmental gabion being bounded by opposed side wall sections of the respective opposed side walls, the partition walls being pivotally connected to the side walls and neighbouring side wall sections being pivotally connected to each other, a first individual compartment of the gabion having extending therefrom in a direction away from the first individual compartment convergent at least partly open framework panels forming or forming part of a protuberant compartment on the gabion. 
     
     
         3 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein a second individual compartment of the gabion neighbouring the first individual compartment is absent any protuberant compartment of the same shape or size as the protuberant compartment extending from the first individual compartment. 
     
     
         4 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the second individual compartment is absent any protuberant compartment. 
     
     
         5 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein a second individual compartment neighbouring the first individual compartment comprises at least two chambers. 
     
     
         6 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein the chambers are unequal in size. 
     
     
         7 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of protuberant compartments along the length of the gabion, neighbouring protuberant compartments being separated from each other by a length of side wall. 
     
     
         8 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein the length of side wall corresponds in length to the length of a side wall section. 
     
     
         9 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the length of side wall is a side wall section. 
     
     
         10 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein at least parts of the neighbouring protuberant compartments and the length of side wall define a channel. 
     
     
         11 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 1 , comprising an even numbers of compartments, preferably four compartments. 
     
     
         12 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the convergent panels form triangular compartments. 
     
     
         13 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one individual compartment has a square-cross section. 
     
     
         14 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one individual compartment is lined with a geotextile material. 
     
     
         15 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one individual compartment is at least partly filled with a fill material, preferably sand, rocks and/or vegetation. 
     
     
         16 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein at least the protuberant compartment has a mesh form. 
     
     
         17 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the protuberant compartment is at least partly filled with oyster shells or the like. 
     
     
         18 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the oyster shells are arranged to protrude through the protuberant compartment and sit proudly of its surface. 
     
     
         19 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the protuberant compartment is detachably attached to the at least one individual compartment. 
     
     
         20 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 1 , comprising a strengthening member for the protuberant compartment, preferably the strengthening member is in the form of a panel, more preferably a mesh panel. 
     
     
         21 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 20 , wherein the protuberant compartment is a triangular compartment and the strengthening member is positioned along its median. 
     
     
         22 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 21 , wherein the strengthening member is positioned along the median connecting the midpoint of an interior wall of the triangular compartment and the protruding apex of the triangular compartment. 
     
     
         23 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the protuberant compartment is pivotally connected to the at least one individual compartment. 
     
     
         24 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein the triangular compartment comprises two panels forming a triangular configuration with the first individual compartment. 
     
     
         25 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 24 , wherein each edge of the two panels is connected to the respective edge of the at least one individual compartment by at least two overlapping helical coils. 
     
     
         26 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 25 , wherein the at least two overlapping helical coils are releasably connected by a joining pin intersecting the overlapping region of the coils. 
     
     
         27 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 24 , wherein edges of the panels which define a protruding apex of the triangular compartment are connected to one another by a single helical coil. 
     
     
         28 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein a protruding apex of the triangular compartment comprises an interior angle which is obtuse. 
     
     
         29 . The barrier assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein a protruding apex of the triangular compartment comprises an interior angle which is acute. 
     
     
         30 . The barrier assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the assembly is collapsible. 
     
     
         31 . A method of preserving or restoring a shoreline, comprising the steps of:
 providing a barrier assembly comprising a gabion having opposed side walls connected together at spaced intervals along the length of the gabion by a plurality of partition walls, the spaces between neighbouring pairs of partition walls defining, together with the side walls, at least one individual compartment of the gabion, the at least one individual compartment of the gabion being bounded by the respective opposed side walls or by opposed side wall sections of the respective opposed side walls, the partition walls being pivotally connected to the side walls, the individual compartment of the gabion having extending therefrom in a direction away from the individual compartment convergent at least partly open framework panels forming or forming part of a protuberant compartment on the gabion;   at least partly filling the at least one individual compartment with a fill material, preferably sand, rocks and/or vegetation; at least partly filling the protuberant compartment with oyster shells; and   at least partly lining a shoreline with the barrier assembly.   
     
     
         32 . The method as claimed in  claim 31 , including the step of lining the at least one individual compartment with a geotextile material before it receives any fill material. 
     
     
         33 . The method as claimed in  claim 31 , including the step of providing at least two individual compartments and positioning them in a linear relationship. 
     
     
         34 . A method for redirecting wave energy on a shorline, comprising: deploying the barrier assembly of  claim 1  on said shoreline. 
     
     
         34 . A method for redirecting wave energy on a shoreline, comprising:
 deploying the barrier assembly of  claim 1  on said shoreline.   
     
     
         35 . A method for preserving a shoreline, comprising:
 deploying the barrier assembly of  claim 1  on said shoreline.   
     
     
         36 . A method for restoring a shoreline, comprising:
 deploying the barrier assembly of  claim 1  on said shoreline.   
     
     
         37 . A barrier assembly for redirecting wave energy, comprising:
 a first compartment formed by side walls pivotally connected to each other; and   a triangular second compartment formed by one or more side walls of said first compartment and two protuberant side walls pivotally connected to said one or more side walls of said first compartment, wherein said two protuberant side walls extending convergently from said one or more side walls of said first compartment to form said triangular second compartment.   
     
     
         37 - 38 . (canceled)