Coastal Structures

From groins to seawalls to marina facilities, ECE’s team of professional engineers, geologists and scientists has extensive experience in the design, permitting, construction and performance assessment of coastal structures.  By incorporating field data, numerical modeling and latest coastal engineering design concepts, ECE has successfully implemented coastal structures projects for municipalities and private landowners alike.  We have the proven ability to design and permit solutions for storm protection and sand retention using coastal structures in a sustainable manner.  We are locally, nationally and internationally recognized for our unique and innovative solutions to coastal structures projects, many of which were the first of their kind installations.




Casey Key Steel Sheetpile Seawall

A 500 foot vertical oceanfront steel sheetpile seawall was designed and permitted by the ECE Team to protect three private, upland properties from storm damage.  In addition, ECE provided construction administration and oversight services.  Due to very limited site access and close proximity of residential structures to the seawall, a non-percussive hydraulic press-in system was used to install the 40 ft steel sheet piles.

Casey Key Geotextile Container System

ECE developed, designed and permitted an 800 foot long sloped geotextile container system with beach fill placement and re-vegetation to provide a semi-soft erosion control solution to protect upland property from storm damage.  This system was the first installed under the State of Florida’s new rule 62B-56, FAC.

Bloody Point Inlet Coastal Structures

Two T-head groin structures were designed, permitted and constructed to mitigate for the effects of inlet induced erosion to stabilize the adjacent shoreline.  Groin 1 was designed and located to serve as a terminal groin to reduce sand losses to the inlet.  Groin 2 was designed and located updrift of the inlet to stabilize sand placement and eliminate reformation of a secondary flood channel.

East Grace Bay T-Head Groins

ECE successfully implemented a beach restoration program consisting of five rock T-head groin structures to stabilize a one-mile beach nourishment project on an Atlantic fronting shoreline.  The project’s design maximized project longevity and economic benefits to the upland properties while minimizing adverse impacts to biological resources.  This beach served to protect upland properties during Hurricanes Hanna and Ike in 2008.

Pelician Point Beach Restoration

Construction was completed in 2006 for this 0.5-mile, 70,000 CY beach nourishment project to restore a severely eroding shoreline fronting a historically rocky headland.  The beachfill was stabilized with a rock T-head groin.  This beach served to protect upland properties during Hurricanes Hanna and Ike in 2008.

Emerald Beach Groins

Three T-head groins were designed, permitted and constructed to stabilize an Atlantic fronting beach following sand placement.  The structures were designed to reduce sand losses to the adjacent inlet and diminish erosion rates, thereby providing increased longevity for a beach nourishment project along 4,000 ft of shoreline.

Mason Inlet South Channel Bank Stabilization

Ms. Erickson designed and permitted a 410 ft long sand-filled geotextile container revetment for protection of a resort located adjacent to a rapidly migrating inlet.  The structure performed as designed with no damage to upland property following a number of severe hurricanes occurring over a four year period.  The Project served as an emergency, temporary solution until the long-term Mason Inlet Relocation Project could be constructed.

Jupiter Island Sheet Pile Seawall

Ms. Erickson was the Engineer-of-Record for a 600 ft vertical oceanfront sheetpile wall with rock toe apron to protect a segment of storm-threatened county road on Jupiter Island.  The project included a dune restoration and re-vegetation plan constructed following the installation of the seawall.

Bay Island Park Concrete Seawall

The ECE Team planned, designed, permitted and managed the construction for the replacement of a 1,000 ft section of reinforced concrete seawall for a County operated park located within the City of Sarasota.  The Siesta Drive Bridge causeway site is the key evacuation connector for Siesta Key to Sarasota.  Design challenges included maintaining existing site elevations and existing site aesthetics while increasing wall elevations for proper site protection from storm surge.

Water Cay T-Head Groins

Three oceanfront T-head groins were designed and permitted to stabilize a beach nourishment project along a historically rocky shoreline.  The purpose of the project is to create a stable, recreational beach for a future high end resort hotel.  The groins were designed with a geotextile container core with rock overlay to provide the ideal balance of structure life versus costs for maximum economic advantage.

Siesta Key Beach Access Site Improvements

The ECE Team designed, permitted and managed the construction of a truck access route, parking lot improvements and derelict structure removal for two public beach accesses on Siesta Key in Sarasota County, Florida.

Manasota Beach Park Boardwalk, Stormwater and Parking Lot Improvements

This project included the repair and replacement of an existing boardwalk and dock system, construction of an additional boardwalk with fishing dock, and parking lot improvements for stormwater runoff.