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6. Stability of cubes, tetrapods and accropode

Chapter · January 1988

DOI: 10.1680/dob.13513.0007

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6. Stability of cubes, tetrapods and accropode

J. W. VAN DER MEER, Delft Hydraulics Laboratory

SYNOPSIS. Results of an extensive research program on stabi­

lity of rubble mound revetments and breakwaters were presen­
ted in recent years. In fact new stability formulae were in­
troduced for an armour layer consisting of rock. In addition
to this research Delft Hydraulics has performed basic model
tests OIl breakwaters armoured with Cubes, Tetrapods and
Accropode(R). The stability of these artificial units under
random wave attack is the subject for the present paper.
Finally a comparison of stability between rock and the menti­
oned artificial units is made.

ROCK STRUCTUKES
Background
1. New practical design formulae have been developed which
describe the stability of rubble mound revetments and break­
waters consisting of rock under random wave attack. The for­
mulae were based upon a series of more than two hundred and
fifty model tests. The work of Thompson and Shuttler (ref. 1)
were used as a starting point. First results were published
at the Breakwaters '85 Conference (ref. 2) and final results
were published in ref. 3. The application of the formulae in
a deterministic and probabilistic design were given in ref. 4.

Formulae for rock

2. The final formulae established for rock structures will
be summarized first as it gives the basis for the investiga­
tion on stability of artificial units. The stability formulae
derived are (ref. 3):

(1 )

for plunging waves, and

(2)

for surging waves

where:

Hs significant wave height at toe of structure (m)

Breakwaters '88, Thomas Telford Limited, London, 1988 59

BREAKWATERS '88

!;z surf similarity parameter,!;z tana/ls z (-)

Sz wave steepness = 2nHs/gTi (- )
Tz zero up-crossing wave period (s)
a slepe angle (degrees)
6 relative mass density of stone, 6 = Pa/P - 1 (-)
Pa mass density of stone or unit (kg/m 3 )
P mass density of water (kg/m 3 )
Dn 50 nominal diameter of stone, Dn50 = (W50/Pa)1/3 (m)
\0150 50% value of mass distribution curve (kg)
p permeability coefficient of the structure (-)
S damage level, S = A/D~50 (-)
A erosion area in a cross-section (m Z )
N number of waves (storm duration) (-)

3. The influence of dimensionless wave height, wave period

and damage level on stability, computed with equations (1) and
(2), are shown in Fig. 1 for a breakwater with cota = 1.5,
P = 0.5 (permeable structure) and N = 3000. The curves on the
left side of Fig. 1 are given by equation (1) and on the right
side by equation (2). Collapsing waves are present at the
transition from plunging to surging waves.

4. Curves are shown for two damage levels, S = 2 for "start

of damage" and S = 8 for "failure" (filter layer visible).

Rock cot a=l .5 P=O.5 N=3000

3.0 , - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ,

PLunging ",aves Sur 9 I ng waves

formuLa [1) formuLa (2)
2.5
5 = 12
0
Lf.)
c
0 2.0
<I
<,

J:
(f)
5 =2
1.5

1 .0 _--+----4----l----+----1----+------l
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
~z = tonal";;:

Fig. 1 Stability of rock slopes

Dimensionless governing variables

5. For armour layers consisting of rock the following con­
clusions were derived (ref. 3):
60
 PAPER 6: VAN DER MEER
Stability was determined in a dimensionless form, using:

the significant wave height parameter: Hs/~Dn50

the surf similarity parameter: ~z

,the slope angle: cota

the damage as a function of the number of waves: S/IN

the permeability of the structure: P

- Within the conditions tested the following parameters did

not influence the stability:
the grading of the armour
the spectrum shape and groupiness of waves.

SET-UP OF RESEARCH
6. Tests on breakwaters with artificial armour units were
based on above mentioned conclusions. The research was limi­
ted to only one cross-section (slope angle and permeability)
for each armour unit. Therefore the slope angle, cota, and
consequently the surf similarity parameter, ~z' will not be
present in a stability formula to be developed on the results
of the research. The same yields for the permeability coeffi­
cient, P.
7. Breakwaters with armour layers of interlocking units
are generally built with steep slopes in the order of 1:1.5.
Therefore this slope angle was chosen for tests on Cubes and
Tetrapods. Accropode(R) are generally built on a slope of
1:4/3, and this slope was used for tests on Accropode(R).
Cubes were chosen as these elements are bulky units which
have good resistance against impact forces. Tetrapods are
widely used allover the world and have a fair degree of in­
terlocking. Accropode(R) were chosen as these units can be
regarded as the latest development, showing high interlock­
ing, strong elements and a one layer system.
8. A uniform 1:30 foreshore was applied for all tests.
Waves were generated at a water depth of 0.90 m and the water
depth at the structure amounted to 0.40 m. Each complete tests
consisted of a pre-test sounding, a test of 1000 waves, an
inter-mediate sounding, a test of 2000 more waves, a final
sounding. Sometimes a test was extended with another 2000
waves. After each complete test the armour layer was removed
and rebuilt. Fig. 2 gives the cross-sections tested.
9. A tests series consisted generally of five tests with
the same wave period, but different significant wave heights.
Wave heights ranged from 0.10 to 0.25 m and the periods ap­
plied were: Tz = 1.4, 1.7, 2.2 and 2.9 s, covering a large
part of wave steepnesses found in nature. Generally 20 tests
were performed on each different armour unit which resulted
in a total of about 60 tests.
10. Damage to rock structures is usually measured by means
of a surface profiler. Damage, S, is then defined by the ero­
sion area related to the nominal diameter (see Section 2).
Damage to artificial armour units is often measured as the
number of units displaced more than one diameter. Although
damage is often given as a percentage, this definition has a
lot of shortcomings. It is dependent on the slope angle and
61
BREAKWATERS '88

the total number of units in the armour layer. Therefore,

different investigations can hardly be compared.

,_ 0,12
~I.
0.10
-I· 0.85'5

+0.90

~---- ~
or 0.09 m thick laY:2r
of CUbQ.5 0204 kg

o"~: 00" 'T'

-0,'50
~~

a) Cross-sEction for Cubes and Tetrapods

~:"'-~-----'-'--
77~
-._---~

.1.20
-r­
/ I
/ / I
/

·0.90
-L '~

~.
sw L' -7
,·~S

~!IO:O,O"m i

-o.so m I

b) Cross-section for Accropode (R)

Fig. 2 Tested cross-sections

11. Another definition is suggested for damage to artifi­

cial armour units. Damage here is defined as the relative
damage, No. which is the actual number of displaced units re­
lated to a width (along the longitudinal axis of the break­
water) of one nominal diameter, Dn• The nominal diameter is
defined by:

Dn = (W!Pa)1/3, where: W = mass of armour unit. (3)

For Cubes Dn is the side of the cube, for Tetrapods Dn = O.65h

where h is the height of the unit and for Accropode(R) Dn =
O.7h. The definition of the relative damage, No, is compara­
hIe with the definition of S, although S includes displace­
62
 PAPER 6: VAN DER MEER

ment and settlement, but does not take into account cue poro­
sity of the armour layer. Generally S is about two times No.
12. As only one slope angle was investigated, the influence
of the wave period should not be given in formulae including
sz' as this parameter includes both wave period (steepness)
and slope angle. The influence of wave period, therefore, will
be given by the wave steepness Sz = gT~/2TIHs'

13. Governing variables

Sections 6-12 have reviewed the governing variables for sta­
bility of artificial armour units on the basis of the set of
variables for rock structures, given in Section 5. The final
governing variables are given by:
- the wave height parameter: Hs/~Dn
- the wave steepness: Sz
- the relative damage: No
- the number of waves (storm duration): N

RESULTS
14. Damage curves were drawn for each period and each storm
duration. An example of such damage curves is shown in Fig. 3.
From these damage curves Hs/~Dn and Sz values were taken for
several damage levels, according to the procedure described
for rock slopes (ref. 2 and 3). These values were plotted in
so-called Hs/6D n- sz
plots, showing the influence of the wave
period, storm duration and damage level, as was already given
in Fig. 1 for rock structures. The Hs/6Dn -s z plots for Cubes,
Tetrapods and Accorpode(R) are shown in Figs. 4-6, for N =
3000 and for two damage levels: No = 0 (start of damage) and
No = 1-2 (severe damage, the actual number depends on the
unit considered). Results of the units will be described se­
perately.

Cubes Tz = 2.92 sec

0
I

I
z
c,

"E
.o Io (!) N 1000
~
c I
.. N 3000
e

IJ)
I
"o
E I
",

I
I
--" I
~
~

b 1
/
--'
"
J>:: . /~
~
0
1 3
Hs/ AD n

Fig. 3 Example of damage curves for Cubes

63
BREAKWATERS '88
Stability of Cubes
15. Fig. 3 gives the damage curves for one wave period.
From the analysis of this figure it follows that the influence
of the storm duration (number of waves) is negligible for the
no-damage criterion, No = O. This can also be expected: if
1000 waves do not displace any unit it can be expected that
another 1000 or 2000 waves are not able to displace more
units. \~en some damage is considered, the damage becomes a
function of the storm duration.
16. Fig. 4 shows the results for Cubes. This figure shows
a slight influence of the wave period. Longer wave periods
(large ~z values) increase the stability which is according
to rock slopes, Fig. 1. No transition is found between plung­
ing and surging waves which is probably due to the steep slope
considered.

Cubes N=3000 cot. a=1 .5

4.0 , - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ,

(!)
No = 0
• No =

c
!!l No = 2
~
<,
V)
:c

---
e
2.0 (!)

(!)

(!)

3 4 5 6 7 8
~z

Fig. 4 Stability of Cubes

17.
The final formula for stability of Cubes includes the
r~lative damage level, No' the number of waves, N, and the
wave steepness, sz, and is given by:

(4)

Stability of Tetrapods
18. Figure 5 shows the Hs/~Dn-~z plot for Tetrapods. The
influence of wave period on stability is more pronounced for
Tetrapods than for Cubes (Fig. 4). The same conclusion of the
influence of storm duration was found, however.
19. A similar formula as (4) was found for Tetrapods:
S-0.2
z (5)

64
 PAPER 6: VAN DER MEER

Tetrapods N=3000 cot a=l .5

4.0,----------------------,

e No = 0
• No = 0.5
3.0
1!I No = 1.5

1.0
2 3 4 5 6 7 8

~z
Fig. 5 Stability of Tetrapods

Stability of Accropode(R)
20. Accropode(R) are placed in a one layer system. The
Accropode(R) were placed according to the specifications
given by SOGREAH and described in ref. 5. The cross-sections
tested are shown in Fig. 2. Both partly overtopping (10-40%)
and non-overtopping « 10%) structures were tested.
21. The results are shown in Fig. 6 for no damage (No = 0)
and severe damage (No> 0.5). No influence of the storm dura­
tion was found. Furthermore, no influence of the wave period
was found, as the curves in Fig. 6 are horizontal.
Accropode(RJ cot a=l .33
5.0

(!) No = 0
• > 0.5
4.0 • • •(!)
• No
c •e @ •
~
<,
O'l e
:I:
e

3.0

2.0 -I-----4------1I-----I----4-----l-------<
2 3 4 5 6 7 8

~z
Fig. 6 Stability of Accropode(R)
65
BREAKWATERS '88
22. From Fig. 6 two more and important conclusions can be
drawn. The stability for start of damage is very high compared
to Cubes and Tetrapods (Figs. 4 and 5). This is caused by
settlement of the steep slope (cota = 4/3) during the bedding
in test with low waves. After settlement the armour layer acts
as a "blanket" where each unit contacts several neighbours.
Start of damage (No = 0) and severe damage or failure, given
by No > 0.5 are very close, however. This means that the ini­
tial stability of Accropode(R) is very high, but that the
structure fails in a progressive way. The results found for
start of damage should not be used as design values, there­
fore.
23. As storm duration and wave period have no influence on
the stability of Accropode(R) and as the "no damage" and
"failure" criteria are very close, the stability can be des­
cribed by two simple formulae:

Start of damage, No = 0: 3.7 (6)

Failure, No > 0.5: 4.1 (7)

RELIABILITY OF FORMULAE
24. In ref. 4 the formulae for rock were used in a proba­
bilistic design, considering also the reliability of the for­
mulae itself. This reliability (scatter) consists of a part
due to random behaviour of a rubble mound structure and a part
due to curve fitting. The coefficients 6.2 and 1.0 in equati­
ons 1 and 2 were treated as stochastic variables, having a
normal distribution, an average equal to the values 6.2 and
1.0 respectively, and a standard deviation of 0.4 and 0.08
respectively.
25. A similar procedure can be followed for the formulae
of artificial units. The coefficients 3.7 and 4.1 in equati­
ons 6 and 7 for Accropode(R) can be considered as stochastic
variables. From analysis it followed that the standard pevia­
tion (assuming a normal distribution) amounded to 0 = 0.2.
The procedure for equations 4 and 5 is more complicated. As­
sume a relationship:

(8)

The function f(N o' N, sz) is given in equations 4 and 5. The

coefficient, a, can be regarded as a stochastic variable with
an average of 1.0 and a standard deviation. From analysis it
followed that this standard deviation is 0 = 0.10 for both
formulae on Cubes and Tetrapods.

COMPARISON OF STABILITY
26. Equations (1), (2) and (4)-(7) describe the stability
of rock, Cubes, Tetrapods and Accropode(R). A comparison of
stability is made in Fig. 7 were for all units curves are
shown for two damage levels: "start of damage" (S = 2 for
rock and No = 0 for artificial units) and "failure" (S = 8
66
 PAPER 6: VAN DER MEER

for rock, No = 2 for Cubes, No = 1.5 for Tetrapods and No >

0.5 for Accropode(R)). The curves are drawn for N = 3000 and
are given as Hs/~Dn versus the wave steepness, sz.

No damage
_ _ _ Sever-e damage

Reck Cube
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - Hcc r-opode I R)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Accropode (R) and Tet.raped:

cot.a:l.5
c 3
53<, _ ________________-=Tet.rapod
Accropede(RJI
Vl Cube
:I: Reck
2 cot. a = 1.33
_ _ _ _ _ Rock
- -":::.--. ..::=:: __
-=-:.:..:.. Tet.rapod
Cube

0.1....----4---1-----1-----1>-----1-----1>---------1
0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06
Have steepness Sz

Fig. 7 Comparison of stability

27. From Fig. 7 the following conclusions can be drawn:

- Start of damage for rock and Cubes is almost the same. This
is partly due to a more stringent definition of "no damage"
for Cubes (No = 0). The damage level S = 2 for rock means
that a little displacement is allowed (according to Hudson's
criterion of "no damage", however).
- The initial stability of Tetrapods is higher than for rock
and Cubes and the initial stability of Accropode(R) is much
higher.
- Failure of the slope is reached first for rock, than Cubes,
Tetrapods and Accropode(R). The stability at failure (in
terms of Hs/~Dn values) is closer for Tetrapods and Accro­
pode(R) than at the initial damage stage.
28. The complete investigation is described in refs. 6 and
7 for Cubes and Tetrapods and in ref. 8 for Accropode(R).

REFERENCES
1. THOMPSON D.M. and SHUTTLER R.M. Riprap design for wind
wave attack. A laboratory study in random waves. HRS, Walling­
ford, 1975, Report EX 707.
2. VAN DER MEER J.W. Stability of rubble mound revetments
and breakwaters under random wave attack. Developments in
67
 BREAKWATERS '88

Breakwaters, ICE, Froc. Breakwaters '85 Conference, 1985,

London, Chap. 5.
3. VAN DER MEER J.W. Stability of breakwater armour layers ­
Design f orrnuLae . Coastal Eng., 11, 1987, pp , 219-239.
4. VAN DER MEER J.W. Deterministic and ,probabilistic design
of breakwater armour layers. Proc. ASCE, Journal of WPC and
OE, 1988, VoL 114, No. 1.
5. VINCENT G.E. Rubble Mound Breakwaters - Twenty Applicati­
ons of the ACCROPODE(R) Technique during its first six years
of existance, 1987. SOGREAH Consulting Engineers.
6. DELFT HYDRAULICS. Stability of rubble mound breakwaters.
Stability formulae for breakwaters armoured with Cubes, 1986.
Report on basic research, S467 Volume VI. (Confidential).
7. DELFT HYDRAULICS. Stability of rubble mound breakwaters.
Stability formula for breakwaters armoured with Tetrapods,
1987. Report on basic research, H462 Volume II. (Confiden­
t ial).
8. DELFT HYDRAULICS. Stability of rubble mound breakwaters.
Stability formulae for breakwaters armoured with Accropode(R),
1987. Report on basic research, H546.

68

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