CONCRETE ARMOR UNIT TO PROTECT COASTAL AND HYDRAULIC STRUCTURES AND SHORELINES.

摘要

AN ARMOR UNITS (2) FOR PROTECTING COASTAL, RIVER, LAKE AND RESORVOIR BANKS, SHORELINES AND OTHER STRUCTURES FROM THE DAMAGING HYDRODYNAMIC FORCES OF WAVES AND WATER CURRENTS, IS DISCLOSED. THE ARMOR UNIT (2) HAS A CENTRAL ELONGATE MEMBER (4) AND FIRST AND SECOND OUTER ELONGATE MEMBERS (8, 10) CONNECTED WITH SAID CENTRAL ELONGATE MEMBER (4) ON OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF. THE FIRST AND SECOND OUTER ELONGATE MEMBERS (8, 10) HAVE PARALLEL LONGITUDINAL AXES (12, 14) EXTENDING NORMAL TO SAID LOGITUDINAL AXIS (6) OF SAID CENTRAL ELONGATE MEMBER (4). IN A PARTICULAR EMBODIMENT, THE ELONGATE MEMBERS (8, 10) EACH HAVE AN OCTAGONAL CROSS-SECTION DECREASING FROM AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION TOWARD THE OPPOSITE ENDS. WHEN A PLURALITY OF STRUCTURES ARE INTERLOCKED TO DEFINE A PROTECTIVE ARRAY, A HIGH DEGREE OF WEDGING IS AFFORDED BETWEEN SAID OCTAGONAL MEMBERS. THE TWO DIMENSIONAL STABILITY OF AN EXEMPLARY ARRAY IS AT LEAST 70. (FIG. 1).