Dutch Floating Breakwaters

Technical information & references

Floating breakwaters
After years of study, research and practice, FDN
Engineering has acquired the technical knowledge of
designing and building floating breakwaters. With the
Dutch Floating Breakwater, FDN Engineering offers a
brilliant alternative to permanent coastal and port
protection structures.
Dutch Floating Breakwaters are built quickly, easily and
are cost effective, have little to no impact on the marine
environment and function excellently in both deep and
shallow waters. The breakwaters have even more to
offer: they can be moved and extended to any required
length or configuration.

Engineering capacity

FDN Engineering has the knowledge and resources to support the client in the design and construction of floating
breakwaters. We can do the measurements on site, make (wind/wave) simulations, design the structure and eventually
build the breakwater elements with the help of our partners.

Types

The breakwaters can be categorized into 3 types:

• T-Block
• U-Block
• Heavy Duty U-Block

The T-Block is only used at locations with water depths up to 6 meters or wave heights up to 1,1 meters. The U-Block is
recommended for more severe conditions with water depths up to 12 meters or wave heights up to 2,5 meters. For even
more extreme conditions the Heavy Duty U-Block is adviced. This is displayed by the graph below.
Design
The graph on the previous page gives an indication of Clients’ wishes that play an important role in the
the needed breakwater design. Every project is unique breakwater design are the breakwater configuration,
in it’s local conditions, so it requires additional study to the required amount of wave damping and the method
make the final design. The water depth, wind force and of anchoring. These topics will be discussed briefly.
fetch are parameters that need to be determined, but
just as important are the clients’ wishes.

Breakwater configuration

The maximum length of one breakwater element is mainly depending on the available production space. Single
elements, in theory, can be made as long as 4 - 5 times the width of the element. Internal walls will make sure the
element is strong and rigid. Alternatively, the elements can be designed to be hollow or filled with a polymeric foam
(EPS).

As much elements as required can be connected together to form one big breakwater. All the floating breakwaters are
walkable directly after placement. If, for some reason, more space is required, breakwater elements can also be placed
side by side to create a bigger walkable surface.

Wave damping

A design is made for a specific amount of wave

damping. Normally damping up to 80-90% is
requested. This means that 80-90% of the incoming
wave height is reflected and around 10-20% is
transmitted into the protected area.

A very important factor here is the draft, or breaking

height, of the breakwater element. Ideally the draft is
half the water depth, but in very deep waters the aim is
a third of the water depth.

Factors for determining reflection/transmission

Anchorage

Depending on the clients’ wishes and the local

conditions (water depth, ground conditions, wave
loads) a choice for an anchorage system must be
made. The 3 most common systems are:

• Weight (concrete blocks)

• Piles
• Anchors
Anchorsystems

Ideally the anchors are placed in an 30 degree angle to

the breakwater and in a crossed configuration. When
applying the T-Block unit, a crossed configuration is not
possible.

The anchor cables can be made from high strength steel

strands or from steel chains.

Anchor configuration
T-Block
The T-Block element is the most simple breakwater
type. The element can be used in situations with little
water depths up to around 6 m and with small wave
heights up to around 1,1 m. This type is not
recommended for more severe conditions, because of
limited stability.

Cross section

Design

For the insurance of stability the width of the cross

section must be bigger than the height of the
rectangular pontoon part and at least equal to the total
height of the section (including the wall under water).

The wall under water increases the draft and activates

a larger body of water to act as a damper than the
pontoon part would on it’s own.
Artist impression
General design characteristics are:

• Length: up to 20 m
• Width: 3-4m
• Height (total): 3-4m
• Water depths: up to 6 m
• Wave heights: up to 1,1 m
U-Block
The U-Block element is a multi-purpose breakwater
type. The element can be used in situations with water
depths up to 12 m and with wave heights up to 2,5 m.
The dimensions of the cross section should be
adjusted accordingly. .

Cross section

Design

For the insurance of stability the width of the cross section

must be bigger than the height of the rectangular pontoon
part and at least equal to the total height of the section
(including the walls under water).

The extensions of the walls under water increase the draft

and activates a larger body of water to act as a damper than
the pontoon part would on it’s own. The configuration of the
walls also garantues better stability than the single wall on
the T-Block.

General design characteristics are:

• Length: up to 30 m
• Width: 4-7m
• Height (total): 4-7m
• Water depths: 6 - 12 m
• Wave heights: 1,1 - 2,5 m

References

FDN has been involved in the design of multiple harbours in Greece, using floating breakwaters to create a protected
area. In Messolonghi some floating breakwaters have been build and tested under the supervision of FDN, the design
was as follows:

• Water depth near breaker: 9 m

• Wind speed: 12 Beaufort (30 m/s)
• Occurring wave periods: 1 - 6 s, corresponding wavelengths up to 75m
• Wave height: up to 2 m (significant wave height)
• Damping needed: up to 2 m waves with a period of 5 sec should be damped up to 80%
• Higher waves damped 50%
• Design extreme condition: wave height up to 4m (for design anchorage, concrete and connections)
• Design life structure: 70 years
• Reference period of loads: 100 years

3D model / floating breakwater in action

Fabrication process

Reinforcement lifting points / pouring and vibrating the concrete

Pouring the concrete / element on shore

Element on shore / lifting an element

FDN’s flexible pontoon connector / elements in the water

Floating breakwater during extreme weather conditions

Heavy Duty U-Block
The Heavy Duty U-Block element is a breakwater type
for extreme conditions: water depths over 12 m or
wave heights over 2,5 m. The dimensions are of such a
scale that it renders the possibility to make use of the
inside of the rectangular pontoon part. One can think of
the usage as storage or on a bigger scale even the
parking of cars etc.
Cross section

Design

For the insurance of stability the width of the cross

section must be bigger than the height of the
rectangular pontoon part and at least equal to the total
height of the section (including the wings under water).

The extensions of the walls under water as used in the U-Block

are now extended to wings. This configuration activates a very
large body of water, guaranteeing great stability in extreme
situations.

General design characteristics are:

• Length: 50+ m Artist impression

• Width: 7 - 18 m
• Height (total): 7 - 18 m
• Water depths: 12+ m
• Wave heights: 2,5+ m

References

In Port Hercule in Monte Carlo (Monaco) a very big floating

breakwater has been created, housing a parking lot internally
and a boulevard with shops on top. This is a good example of
the possibilities of floating breakwaters. The design was as
follows:

• Wave height: up to 2,8 m / 7,2 s (significant wave

height)
• Design extreme condition: wave height up to 4,9 m /
12,0 s (for design anchorage, concrete and
connections)

Cross section Port Hercule breakwater

• Damping needed: up to 2,8 m waves with a period of

7,2 sec should be damped up to 80%
• Higher waves damped 50%
• Design life structure: 100 years
• Reference period of loads: 100 years

Artist impression Port Hercule breakwater

Fabrication process

Testing with scale model ships

During fabrication

On the water

Placement

Final result
Overview
The table below gives an overview of the design possibilities of floating breakwaters. These numbers are only
indications, the exact numbers depend on the local conditions and the clients’ wishes.

T-Block U-Block Heavy Duty U-Block

Length up to 20 m up to 30 m 50+ m
Width 3-4m 4-7m 7 - 18 m
Height (total) 3-4m 4-7m 7 - 18 m
Water depths up to 6 m 6 - 12 m 12+ m
Wave heights up to 1,1 m 1,1 - 2,5 m 2,5+ m

DESIGN CENTER PARTNER GREECE PARTNER ITALY

FDN Engineering BV Archimedes Marinas Ltd. new marinas.it
(Functional Design Netherlands) Kuprou 18 Via Boschetto 6
Laan van Vlaanderen 333 t.k 30 200 Messolonghi, Greece Trezzano sul Naviglio
1066 WB Amsterdam, The T +30 263 102 52 32 MI 20090, Italy
Netherlands F +30 263 102 71 20 T +39 02 3981 1462
T +31 (0)20 330 62 60 I www.archimedesmarinas.gr F +39 02 837 3155
F +31 (0)20 330 62 61 I www.newmarinas.it
I www.fdn-engineering.nl