Seawall Construction Project
 
As you travel around Boston and the surrounding area, you may notice the variety of seawalls. A seawall is a wall created to prevent erosion from waves, as well as to keep the land behind it from collapsing into the ocean.

Your task:

Construct a seawall to keep the ground stable where a lighthouse will be built.

You will built your seawall structure inside a shallow plastic container.

You will be given a set amount of sand, gravel and crushed stone to build your seawall. You may not use any other materials.

1. Static Test - no Load

When your seawall is finished, you will be given additional wet sand to simulate land behind the seawall. The bin will then be filled with water to a specified "high tide line". Does your seawall stay intact? What additional supports do you need to add to shore up any failures in the wall?

2. Static Test - with Load

You will be given a weight that simulates a structure built on the land behind the wall. Does adding this weight cause any additional problems to the seawall's ability to stay intact? What additional supports do you need to add to shore up any failures in the wall?

3. Wave test

According to your teacher's directions, you will simulate wave action against the seawall. Do the waves cause any additional problems to the seawall's ability to stay intact? What additional supports do you need to add to shore up any failures in the wall?
 
Below are some examples of seawalls found in Boston and the Harbor Islands:

Christopher Columbus Park

Bumpkin Island

Bumpkin Island

Georges Island

Spectacle Island