Geosynthetics April/May 2020 - 44

2019 INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS | GEOSYNTHETICS

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT | GEOSYNTHETICS MISCELLANEOUS

TenCate Geosynthetics Americas

Kanai Resort shoreline protection
and beach creation

T

FIGURE 2 Geotube breakwater. Photograph
courtesy TenCate Geosynthetics Americas

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
KANAI RESORT
SHORELINE PROTECTION
AND BEACH CREATION
GEOSYNTHETICS PRODUCER
AND SUPPLIER

TenCate Geosynthetics Americas
ENGINEER

Ernesto Gray
DESIGN

Tecnoceano
INSTALLER

Control de Erosion
GEOSYNTHETICS PRODUCTS

Geotube
44

he Kanai Resort is a 452-acre (183-ha) development along 1.1 miles (1.7 km) of coastline
of the Caribbean Sea, 18.6 miles (30 km) south of Cancun, Mexico. The site is low-lying
mangrove swamp without a sand dune or beach. The client wanted to create an artificial
sand dune structure to serve as protection for the resort buildings
and infrastructure. Therefore, the client also wanted a world-class
65.6-foot (20-m) wide gentle sloping white sand beach that could
be protected by offshore breakwaters to create a calm shoreline
environment for the resort guests (Figure 2).
The Kanai Resort shoreline protection project had three
distinct phases to it utilizing TenCate GT500 Sand Color Geotube units and GC1200MB Composite Geotextile Sand Colored
Geotube units. The first phase was to install a natural-appearing
shoreline protection structure with a height of 8.2 feet (2.5 m) to
protect the entire 1.1 miles (1.7 km) of the resort shoreline. Next,
three 656-foot (200-m) long offshore breakwaters were installed,
located 328 feet (100 m) offshore in 11.5 feet (3.5 m) of water.
Lastly, a beach was created that had a minimum width of 65.6
feet (20 m) by dredging offshore white sand on the shore between
the shoreline protection structure and the offshore breakwaters.
The natural coastline site of the Kanai Resort development was a flat mangrove swamp
without any natural protection from the storms and hurricanes that routinely affect the
western Caribbean and without a natural beach-a requirement of any Mayan Riviera resort.
Therefore, the challenge was how to create a natural-appearing protection of the resort from
storms and hurricanes, and how to provide the white sand beach environment with the same
natural appearance and feel of a traditional Caribbean resort. The solution was to install
sand-colored GT500 Geotube units that were filled with quarry-run course-grain material
at the existing coastline. The oval-shaped 14.8-foot (4.5-m) wide Geotube structure would
run the entire 1.1 miles (1.7 km) of shoreline and be installed to a height of 8.2 feet (2.5 m)
and completed by covering with a veneer of white sand to provide the natural appearance
of a coastal sand dune. Next, three 656-foot (200-m) long breakwaters were constructed in
11.5 feet (3.5 m) of water and located 328 feet (100 m) offshore. These breakwaters were
created by installing a unique 2-1 pyramid design of sand-colored GC1200MB Composite
Geotextile fabricated units. These Geotube units were installed using divers, with the quarryrun fill material being pumped from the shoreline. Finally, more than 10.5 million cubic feet
(300,000 m3) of white sand was pumped onshore between the Geotube shoreline protection
sand dune and the offshore Geotube breakwater structures.
Today, the Kanai Resort has a beautiful, natural-appearing, gentle sloping white sand
beach where tourists can enjoy a calm and relaxing Caribbean Sea environment with the
onshore property being protected by the 8.2-feet (2.5-m) high, 5,577-foot (1,700-m) long
Geotube structure.

Geosynthetics | April May 2020

0420GS_p41-47.indd 44

3/23/20 5:40 PM
Geosynthetics April/May 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Geosynthetics April/May 2020
