Point Judith, Rhode Island, Breakwater Risk Assessment
Abstract
Point Judith breakwaters were built between 1891 and 1914. Three structures provide shelter for refuge, search and rescue operations, a commercial harbor, and a sandy, recreational shoreline. The Main breakwater is presently in a severely damaged state, and its functional efficiency compared to the as-built condition is unknown. This report provides a summary of a life-cycle risk assessment of the Point Judith Main breakwater. The report summarizes the Point Judith breakwater history, the present condition, the historical offshore wave climate in the area, nearshore wave and water level climate, probabilistic characteristics of the historical wave and water level climate, simulated breakwater damage and wave overtopping transmission, and resulting wave climate in the protected bay. Future sea level rise and its implications on structure performance are analyzed. Several rehabilitation alternatives are designed and then subjected to life cycles of storms with and without sea level rise. The results of the life-cycle study are discussed in the context of the future performance with and without rehabilitation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2015
- Accession Number
- ADA620918
Entities
People
- Jeffrey A. Melby
- John Winkelman
- Norberto C. Nadal-Caraballo
Organizations
- Engineer Research and Development Center