Analysis of 42-Ton Dolos Motions at Crescent City

Abstract

Photogrammetry has been applied to make precise measurements of post-construction displacements of 38.2-metric ton (42-ton) dolosse on the outer breakwater at Crescent City, California. Data from two storm seasons are currently available from this monitoring program which was initiated in November 1986 and which is expected to continue at least through the next three winters. Supplemented by conventional land surveys, wave measurements, aerial inspections, and side scan sonar underwater imagery, observations from the photogrammetric monitoring have led to several preliminary conclusions regarding regions of relatively large dolos movement, dolos nesting, the dependency on breakwater slope of uprush or drawdown dominated armor unit movement, and the relative importance of armor unit movement and boundary conditions in dolos breakage. This paper describes the methods used for, and results obtained from, this monitoring effort along with the application of these results to a Corps study (Howell, 1988) Whose objective is to develop structural design criteria for the dolos concrete armor unit.