In one of our previous posts in June, we discussed the four different types of Riprap, but you might be wondering what is Riprap?
Riprap, usually made from limestone, AKA armor stone, is a rocky material that coastal engineers use to address shoreline erosion along canals and various waterways. It’s also often made from granite and concrete.
Whenever intense waves hit the shore, they have the potential to wear out the shoreline of erosional coasts. It’s a natural geological process and Florida has plenty of areas that fit the bill for this kind of problem. Since communities have an interest in maintaining their dock piles, seawalls, and other structures, Riprap comes in handy, especially when it’s cut with jagged angles and various shapes. That’s one of the main mechanisms for enduring the relentlessness of all the water turbulence.
Riprap is even an effective means for anchoring bridge abutments as well as any other structures built in or around a water source. You might see Riprap used in small creeks to hold larger municipal pipes in place.
Just a quick review on Riprap types:
- Type A – These are the biggest pieces of limestone, usually utilized for steep slopes, and they might remind you of cinder blocks. They range from 18 to 30 inches in size.
- Type B – Similar to Type A, they’re a little smaller and can still be applied to slopes.
- Type C – For lesser erosion problems, this is the medium-sized Riprap. It’s about six to 18 inches in size.
- Type D – These are used for trench bottoms. They’re the smallest in size, going anywhere from four inches to a foot.
So, as you can see, the Riprap types are mostly a matter of size and how heavy-duty you need your defenses to be.
If you’re a Florida business or homeowner who needs help protecting your structures from nature’s fury, Delta Aggregate has some great ways of helping you. We supply and engineer several different materials including Army Corp Riprap, Toe Rock, Boulders, Groin Rock, and Jetti Rock. We use state-of-the-art equipment to accomplish our work and no task is too big or too small. Call us over the phone at 815-791-8377 to learn more about our services or to discuss a project you want to complete.