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ABSTRACT: Goa has a sprawling coastal belt of 105 km long, which attracts lakhs of national and international tourists
every year. More than 10% of this belt is suffering from the severe problem of erosion at as many as 21 locations. The
sea erosion over the years has intensified to a very large extent, resulting in a very huge threat not only to the coastline
but also to human lives. The consequence of erosion can range from the simple loss of coastal areas to scouring and
breakdown of structures constructed near to the shores. The several measures to control the problem of erosion include
construction of breakwaters, sand by-passing, groynes, sea walls and revetments, beach nourishment, seaweed planting,
sand stabilization and use of geosynthetics. The various geosynthetic solutions like geotubes, geobags, geomattresses,
geocontainers, and geocurtains can also be tried. The scope of this paper is to present the beach erosion control measures
and the case study of Candolim beach in Goa ehere geotubes had ben provided as erosion control measure, but were
badly damaged/failed due to wave action and other forces. In the present case, considering the tidal variation of 2.53m,
two layers of geotubes with slope protection in form of layer of geotextile and riprap is suggested.
INTRODUCTION
The State is well known for its beaches and for tourism.
Coastal line of the State is extended 105 km (65miles) in
westward side with total length of navigable rivers in the
State is 253km (157miles). Coastal area of Goa includes
beaches like: Terekhol, Arambol, Mandrem, Morjim,
Vagator, Anjuna, Baga, calangute, Sinquerim, Candolim,
Miramar, Dauna Paula, Vaiguinium, Siridao, Bogmalo,
Velsao, Majorda, Betalbatim, Colva, Benaulim, Varca,
Cavelossim, Mabor, Betul, Canaguinim, Agonda,
Palolem, and Talpona, Polem (Fig. 1). Goa is being in
tropical zone, near Arabian Sea, has hot & humid climate
for most of the year with rain lashing the State in the
months from June to September. Past few years, Goan
beaches are facing the acute problem of erosion with
beach sand get washed off from the shore by waves.
Because of this the level of water increases and usable
area of beach decreases. Various beaches like Colva,
Donapaula, Sinquerim, and Candolim have faced this
erosion problem and due to this good number of national
and international tourist have been lost. Fig. 2 shows
erosion and Candolim beach in Goa. One of the most
successful method of protecting shoreline is using of
geotubes, which has been used worldwide. A single layer
of geotubes was provided at Sinquerim beach to control
erosion. However, it was observed that these geotubes got
punctured/failed due to wave action and are no longer
available to protect the beach from erosion.
Figure 1. Beaches of Goa
LITERATURE REVIEW
Beach erosion is a phenomena in which beach sand gets or very little addition of sand by waves, beach erosion
eroded either due to human factors of due to natural takes place. This phenomenon is observed all over the
reasons. It’s a natural phenomena in which beach sand world. Continuous beach erosion washes away beautiful
moves away, either due to wind or wave action. If this beaches and also endangers the houses built near beaches.
movement of sand away from beach is more or there is no Continuous erosion and failure of structures near beaches
creates lots of environmental problems by affecting the Shin et al. (2002) had conducted pilot scale field tests to
aquatic life and human beings too. A very good example study the performance of geotubes made up from woven
of this damage can be seen in Fig. 2 showing beach geotextile filled by hydraulically pumping dredged silty
erosion at Candolim beach, Goa and the threat posed to clay material into it. Based on this study, it was concluded
the structure located close to the beach. that geotubes are feasible construction materials for use in
There are several ways in which beach erosion can be coastal engineering projects.
controlled or stopped. Pilarczyk (2005) reported that
coastal structures like seawalls, dikes, revetments provide BEACH EROSION CONTROL MEASURES
direct protection to the beaches where as groins and Beach erosion is basically of two types depending upon
offshore breakwaters provide indirect method of shore the factors and period of erosion. Structural erosion is
protection. It was further reported that geosynthetic family long term, gradual erosion continuing year after year.
products like geotubes, geocontainers, geocurtains and Episodic erosion occurs during particular event of storms.
other patented systems like reef balls, aquareef (Hirose et Structural erosion occurs generally due to gradient in
al., 2002), prefabricated units, beach drainage, etc. have longshore sediment transport and leads to loss of material
also been tried to contain the beach erosion due to their and retreat of coast line. Structural erosion takes place due
simplicity in placement and construction, cost to heavy storms and high waves leading to redistribution
effectiveness and for being environment friendly. of sediments on shore but no reduction in control volume.
The various erosion control measures are divided into two
Koerner (2000) reported that geotextile tubes can provide categories, viz. hard and soft measures. Hard measures
better protection for beach erosion. Geotextile tubes of relate to those methods involving construction of
diameters of up to 3m, made up of woven or knitted high structures like breakwaters, jetties, seawalls, etc., whereas
strength fabric have been effectively used to control both soft measures include beach nourishments, beach drainage
inland and oceanfront erosion. Length of geotubes is and sand mining.
decided based on ease in handling/placing and sand Design of these hard and soft measure structures and
filling.The main tubes are generally flanked by tubes of components involve two basic strategies viz. functional
smaller diameters on upstream side which help in resisting design and structural design. Functional design involves
lateral pressure. Also, it is required to provide cover to studying effects of such control measures on various
geotubes to protect them from degradation/damage. functional aspect of the coast like improvement of
recreational conditions and conservation of natural living
resources. Structural design involves design of these
erosion control structures for hydraulic forces, viz. wave
force, tidal and current effects.
Soft Measures
The soft measures include control of erosion by methods
which do not involve construction of any permanent
structure for erosion control. The various methods used
are beach nourishment, beach drainage, seaweed planting,
sand mining, etc. these soft measure are cheaper
alternatives and have lesser environmental consequences.
Beach Nourishment
Beach erosion leads to removal or reduction of beach
sand. Beach nourishment involves pumping of sand from
Figure 2. Sand erosion at Candolim beach. outside onto beach, thus increasing volume of sand on the
beach.
Beach Drainage
When waves rush to the coast, deposition of sand takes
place, while during return waves take away sand along
with it. Former phenomenon is called wave uprush while
later is known as backwash. If beach water table drainage
is provided, it results into deposition of more sand during
uprush thus increasing volume of sand and reducing beach
erosion. This can be achieved by lowering beach water
table by enhancing beach drainage capacity by introducing
strip drains. This technique has been successfully used in
Australia (Davis et al., 1992) and in Japan (Katoh et al.,
Figure 3. Multiple geotubes stack arrangement for 1994).
erosion control ( Koerner, 2000).
(a)
(b)
(c)
Solution Suggested Geotubes provide the excellent solution for beach erosion
Considering the tidal difference of 2.53m and wave control. However, it needs to be protected form damage
action, it is felt that geotubes needs to be protected from due to wave action and ultraviolet light by providing
wave action. Thus, it was suggested that two layers of riprap. Also, tidal variation and wave height need to be
geotubes one above the other as shown in Fig. 7 is considered in design of geotubes. Two layers of geotubes
required to be provided with upstream protection of these one above the other is with riprap protection is suggested
geotubes in the form of riprap. Also, a layer of to control beach erosion at Candolim beach Goa.
geomembrane is suggested below the geotubes, as shown
in the Fig. 7. REFERENCES
[1] Davis, G. A, Hanslow, D.J., Hibbert, K. and Nielsen,
P. (1992). Gravity drainage: A new method of beach
stabilisation through drainage of the watertable.
Proceedings of the 23rd International Conference
on Coastal Engineering, Venice, ASCE, 1129-1141.
[2] Hirose, N., Watanuki, A. and Saito, M. (2002). New
type units for artificial reef development of eco-
friendly artificial reefs and the effectiveness thereof.
PIANC Congress, Sydney.
[3] Katoh, K., Yanagishima, S., Nakamura, S. and
Fukuta, M. (1994). Stabilization of beach in
integrated shore protection system, Hydro-Port’94,
Yokosuka, Japan.
[4] Koerner, R. M. (2000). Emerging and future
Figure 7. New solution suggested to control erosion developments of selected geosynthetic applications.
problem at Candolim beach in Goa. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental
Engineering, 126(4), 293-306.
CONCLUSIONS [5] Koffler, A., Choura, M., Bendriss, A. and Zengerink
Over the years it has been observed that many beaches all E. (2008). Geosynthetics in protection against erosion
over the world are facing the problem of beach erosion. for river and coastal banks and marine and hydraulic
The problem of beach erosion is twofold, occurring due to construction. Journal of Coastal Conservation, 12,
heavy storms (Episodic) and occurring continually over 11-17.
[6] Pilarczyk, K.W. (2005). Coastal stabilization and
the years (Structural). Beach erosion leads to economical
alternative solutions in international perspective.
as wells as environmental concerns and need to be ArabianCoast 2005 Key Note address, 1-26.
addressed. Various hard and soft measures can be adopted [7] Shin, E. C., Ahn, K.S., Oh, Y.I. and Das, BM. (2002).
to contain this erosion. Construction and monitoring of geotubes.
Proceedings of The Twelfth International Offshore
and Polar Engineering Conference, Kitakyushu,
Japan, May 26–31, 2002.