TenCate Geosynthetics Wins the 2018 Award of Excellence for Waikiki Beach Project
2018 Award of Excellence
Waikiki Beach Sand Filled Mattress
Project Details
Fabric: Geotube®
Producer: TenCate Geosynthetics
Design Name: Dolan Everson
Fabrication Company: TenCate Geosynthetics
Subcontractor Company: Geotech Solutions
Project Manager Name: Troy Ogasawara
Project Manager Company: Geotech Solutions
Installation Company: Geotech Solutions
Please describe the project specifications
In December of 2017, the City of Honolulu and the Waikiki Beach Association funded a program to install the Geotube® Sand Filled Mattresses as an innovative solution to protect critical areas of Waikiki Beach impacted by local erosion. Sand Filled Mattresses are two layers of geotextiles sewn together to form longitudinal chambers that are filled with sand slurry. The bottom layer is a high strength woven polypropylene geotextile. The top layer is a composite consisting of a woven polypropylene geotextile with ¼” thick layer of highly UV stabilized crimped fiber needled into the top surface. When installed, this sand colored fiber traps and holds sand providing a natural surface appearance. This was a critical requirement for any erosion protection installed on Waikiki Beach. Our distributor in Hawaii, Geotech Solutions and the City of Honolulu Parks Department personal, installed the 200’ long section of Sand Filled Mattresses in two days and opened the beach to the public for use. Based on the performance, a second mattress section was installed on another Hawaiian beach the following month.
What was the purpose of this project? What did the client request?
The purpose of the project was to restore the natural appearance of this section of Waikiki Beach and to provide a safe environment for tourists to enjoy the beach.
The City of Honolulu and the Waikiki Beach Association requested that the erosion restoration and protection provide a natural appearance and safe surface of the beach.
What is unique or complex about the project?
All of the sand had been eroded from this section of Waikiki Beach and only clay and rocks were on the surface. This section of beach had an unappealing appearance and was not safe for anyone to use the beach. The Sand Filled Mattress has a top surface of soft sand colored fiber that traps sand particles and take on a natural sand beach appearance that is soft and blends into the existing environment.
What were the results of the project?
The day after the Sand Filled Mattress was installed, tourists were laying on the newly restored beach and could not believe the difference.
