Integrated dredging solutions
Coastal Protection
Geosynthetic Container System for Coastal Protection
Coastal erosion is a growing challenge that threatens the integrity of our beaches and marine ecosystems. At Nautilus Dragados Spain, we specialize in coastal protection, offering innovative and sustainable solutions to mitigate the effects of erosion and preserve the coastline.
Natural Solutions to Protect Coastal Areas
We implement natural barriers to protect coasts, such as submerged breakwaters and artificial reefs, which not only reduce the force of waves and currents but also promote marine biodiversity. These structures act as coastal defenses against storms and waves, providing effective protection with a low environmental impact.
Our commitment to environmental management in coastal areas drives us to develop projects that balance coastal protection against erosion with the conservation of marine ecosystems. We implement coastal protection strategies that consider environmental impact and promote coastal preservation with low environmental impact.
We use geotextile tubes and bags to build safe and durable erosion control structures on both land and water. These techniques allow for efficient coastal barrier construction, offering customized solutions for each project.
Application possibilities of geotextile tubes
Geotextile tubes can be used as the central construction element of the structure’s core, with the subsequent superstructure. Furthermore, conventional structures, such as rockfill or concrete, can be replaced with geotextile tubes.
The applications are multiple and varied: breakwaters, groynes, dams, dikes, dunes, land reclamation and riverbank protection.
Sustainable hydraulic structures made with high-strength geotextiles
Due to global climate change, intelligent coastal and shoreline protection systems play an important role in modern hydraulic engineering. Geotextile tubes and bags can be used to quickly and easily construct permanently secure erosion control structures on land and in water. They are a cost-effective and natural-looking alternative to riprap and concrete solutions.
Individually prefabricated elements can be filled with locally available materials, such as sand, thus saving on riprap and core lining. Because of this, and because of the rapid colonization of marine flora and fauna, geotextile containers are a very environmentally friendly construction method.
Our solutions are durable yet adaptable, and can be easily installed in combination with other materials. Depending on the size and type of element, filling can be done using a hopper or hydraulically by pumping a sand-water mixture. The potential applications of geotextile construction elements are diverse, ranging from dikes on land to breakwaters in water.
Advantages
- Economic alternatives to conventional construction methods.
- Safe structures thanks to their great adaptability.
- Fast and flexible installation on land and in water.
- Green construction.
- Numerous certifications and tests (BAW, etc.)
Large-format coastal protection solution
With heavy-duty, large-format geotextile elements, continuous barriers with high positional stability can be constructed along coastal and shoreline sections. Even in very soft, erosion-prone soils, the system’s configuration provides stable, scour-free protection.
An erosion protection platform, with anchor tubes, prevents erosion and scour beneath the geotextile tubes. The anchor tubes secure the erosion and scour protection platform and ensure its positional stability.
The geosynthetic fabric of these tubes, specially developed for coastal protection, is characterized by both its high robustness during installation and its long-term abrasion resistance. The sandy-colored material blends well into the landscape and is quickly colonized by marine flora and fauna, even underwater. Its ecological compatibility is demonstrated both in practice and by scientific tests.
Advantages
- Economic and ecological coastal protection.
- Multifunctional use thanks to flexible system configuration.
- Great position stability.
- Simple filling using local sands.
- Rapid colonization by marine flora and fauna.
- High resistance to UV rays and abrasion.
Land reclamation and riverbank protection.
To sustainably protect a land reclamation area from the impacts of water during the construction process, an erosion-resistant barrier is essential. Conventional practices, such as placing soil as a perimeter levee, are subject to the natural process of erosion. “Containing” the sand material in geotextile tubes prevents erosion by wind and waves and allows construction to progress quickly.
The same basic principle can be applied to bank protection measures. If a slope needs to be secured, large-format pipes may be the only economical and safe option due to the height of the structure, and this can be achieved in a single operation.
Advantages
- Long-lasting, erosion-resistant protection.
- Large construction heights possible in a single operation.
- Fast and economical filling.
- Use of sands available in the area.
- Profitable thanks to savings in large breakwaters.
Breakwaters and groynes
The construction materials for classic hydraulic structures, such as breakwaters and groynes, have changed over the years. From timber structures to sheet pile walls, to riprap constructions combined with asphalt or concrete, a whole range of commercially available construction materials are used today. However, only the use of geotextile tubes allows sand, which is found naturally on beaches and in the sea, to be used as a construction or fill material.
Whether used as the core of a structure with subsequent cladding or as a complete replacement for a traditional structure, geotextile tubes for coastal protection expand the range of available construction materials with an economical and environmentally friendly solution.
Advantages
- Application as a structure core with subsequent coating.
- Large format for heavy structures.
- Long-lasting, erosion-resistant protection.
- Fast and economical filling.
- Material savings thanks to the use of locally available sands.
Dikes, dams and dune reinforcement
Sustainable flood protection with pipes and bags
Both man-made flood protection structures, such as levees, and natural barriers, such as dune systems, can be substantially reinforced and improved with geotextile tubes. In addition to installing the tubes as the core of the structure in new construction, they can also be installed later during levee extensions or as filter fill for stabilization at the levee base.
Geotextile tubes, especially for fragile dune systems, represent an ecologically justifiable and cost-effective safety measure. Thanks to their sandy appearance and the possibility of covering them as an artificial dune, the tubes can be successfully integrated into the dune landscape.
Advantages
- Long-lasting, erosion-resistant protection.
- New construction, dike expansion, filter stabilizing fill.
- Good integration into the landscape thanks to the sandy-colored appearance.
- Fast and economical filling.
- Material savings thanks to the use of locally available sands.
Marine walls and cladding
Geotextile bags: the alternative to riprap liners
As an alternative to conventional stone liners, geotextile bags can be used to build secure protective structures on coasts and beaches. Due to their high adaptability, both subsurface and structural deformations can be compensated for.
Combined with their excellent filtration properties, sandbags are the ideal solution for backfilling undercut areas and are more suitable for securing sandy constrained sections than conventional stone revetments.
Thanks to their coloration and rapid colonization by marine flora and fauna, they blend sustainably into their surroundings. Compared to stones, sand-filled elements are robust but also easy to step on and pose a lower risk of injury.
Advantages
- Small-format flexible container elements.
- Safe building structures thanks to their great adaptability.
- Hassle-free scour prevention and protection.
- It allows material savings thanks to its design as a filter filler.
- Good integration into the natural environment.
- Anti-vandalism solutions.
About us
Nautilus Dragados España, headquartered in Málaga, Spain, specializes in the dredging and cleanup of ports, beaches, and other aquatic environments. Originally founded in Norway, the company has accumulated extensive experience in cleanup and restoration projects there. We operate along the entire Mediterranean coast of Spain and part of the Atlantic, covering the entire coast of Spain and Portugal, as well as Morocco. Our commitment to sustainability and the environment is at the core of our mission. We utilize advanced technologies such as polymer/Geobag dewatering to ensure our operations are efficient and environmentally friendly. At Nautilus Dragados, we pride ourselves on providing innovative solutions to address marine environmental challenges.
Contact us today!
If you’re looking for effective solutions for beach and coastal protection, our team of experts is ready to advise you on comprehensive coastal management and offer advanced coastal protection techniques tailored to your needs. Contact us for more information.