Beach Prism Solution Checks Shoreline Erosion

The culmination of 18 years of product testing at 20-plus sites along Chesapeake Bay and its tributary rivers, Beach Prisms are presented by Midland,

The culmination of 18 years of product testing at 20-plus sites along Chesapeake Bay and its tributary rivers, Beach Prisms are presented by Midland, Va.-based Smith-Midland Corp. as permeable precast units designed to remedy the age-old dilemma of shoreline erosion. The producer affirms, Our experience has proven that Beach Prisms either slow the rate of shore erosion, stop erosion, or reverse erosion by replenishing sand in front of and behind the installation.

Beach Prisms work by reducing the amount of energy in incoming waves before they reach the shoreline. Waves pass through specially designed slots in the triangular 3- or 4-ft.-tall, 10-ft.-long units. The success of an installation, according to Smith-Midland representatives, depends on prevailing winds in relation to the shoreline, tides, the fetch, and availability of sand in the surf. Beach Prisms are suitable especially for river- and bay-front properties whose owners seek an alternative to traditional armor stone or groins and jetties.

Jointly permitted by state and federal agencies, including the Department of Natural Resources and the Army Corps of Engineers, Beach Prisms were the subject of an engineering study conducted by Lane Engineering Inc. of Centreville, Md., at the Terrapin Nature Area on the eastern shore of Chesapeake Bay, about one-half mile north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Queen Anne’s County. Study results indicated that the installation survived Hurricane Isabel with only minor dislocation.

Easi-Set Industries, a wholly owned subsidiary of Smith-Midland Corp., plans to license Beach Prisms to precast producers worldwide. Û 540/439-3266; www.smithmidland.com; www.beachprisms.com