Icelandic type Berm Breakwater
A Short Description of the Icelandic type Berm Breakwater
Berm breakwaters were introduced in the early 1980’s as an alternative to traditional rubble mound breakwaters. The fundamental principles of the berm design philosophy are that not only is the expected wave load taken into account but also the potential yield from the available armourstone quarry, available construction equipment and the pursued function of the breakwater.
Principally, berm breakwaters have developed in two directions. On the one hand there are the dynamic structures built of few stone classes (core material and larger berm stones) which are allowed to reshape when subjected to the strain of the sea. On the other hand, there are more stable structures built of several stone classes that are arranged according to size in a permeable berm well suited to absorb the wave energy imposed upon the construction.
Berm breakwaters have proved themselves successful in the sub-arctic climate of Iceland where violent storms and surge are not uncommon in wintertime. Engineers at the Icelandic Maritime Administration have developed a certain distinctive type of the berm breakwater, the stable berm breakwater or the Icelandic-type Berm Breakwater characterized by several stone classes arranged in a stable structure. The main advantage of the Icelandic-type Berm Breakwater is its endurance to strain as was proven in
The IMA offers wide experience and expertise in designing, project-planning and supervising the building of berm breakwaters.
For further information please contact senior engineer Mr. Sigurdur Sigurdarson.
Curriculum vitae of Mr. Sigurdur Sigurdarson.
Recent papers and abstracts on the Icelandic-type Berm Breakwater:
Sigurdarson, S., Mocke, R., Smarason, O., Carlton, B., Allsop, W., (2009): Development of an Icelandic-type berm breakwater for the Oakajee port project in Western Australia. 2009 Edinburgh.
Sigurdarson, S., Tørum A, van der Meer, Jentsje W, Tomasicchio R., (2008): Berm Recession of the Icelandic-type Berm Breakwater. ASCE, Proc. ICCE 2008.
Sigurdarson, S., Smarason, O.B., Viggosson, G. and Bjørdal, S. (2006) Wave height limits for the statically stable Icelandic-type Berm Breakwater, Proc. ICCE,
Sigurdarson, S., Loftsson, A., Lothe, A.E., Bjertness, E. and Smarason, O.B. (2005) Berm Breakwater Protection for the Hammerfest LNG Plant in Norway - Design and Construction. Proc. Coastlines, Structures and Breakwaters 2005, ICE, London.
Sigurdarson, S., Jacobsen, Smarason, Bjordal, Viggosson, Urrang and Torum, (2003) Sirevåg Berm Breakwater, design, construction and experience after design storm. Proc. Coastal Structures 2003, Portland, USA, ASCE.
Sigurdarson, S. et al., : Appendix 2. Berm Breakwaters in Bruun, Per (ed.): Port and Coastal Engineering. Developments in Science and Technology.
Sigurdarson, S., Viggosson, Tørum, and Smarason, (2001): Stable berm breakwaters. Int. Workshop on Advanced Design of Maritime Structures in the 21st Century, Yokosuka,