Kattupalli, Tamil Nadu, India | ITD Cementation India Ltd.
Kattupalli is located north of Ennore Port, about 40 km from Chennai, a major manufacturing and services hub of India. One of the facilities in the eastern coast of India, they have a captive jetty protected by breakwaters. Client wanted to Protect the shoreline from erosion as well as reclaim the land which was eroded over the period of time. The coastal environment in this region also supports sensitive ecological systems including coastal vegetation and mangrove habitats in nearby creeks and estuaries. Protection of the shoreline is therefore important not only to safeguard the hinterland and infrastructure but also to preserve the natural beach environment and tourism.
M/s. ITD Cementation had approached us to design an economical solution for the protection of 620 m long stretch of proposed reclamation work. The initial proposal of construction of bund using rock armour was expensive & time consuming. If the reclamation work were to be undertaken in the open sea by the construction of a bund to protect the fill material being washed away, then this would have consequently damaged the ecological balance of the coastline. It was confirmed from the soil investigation report that there would be a possibility for the development of pore water pressure and differential settlement due to very fine silty/sandy soil with clayey pockets. There were possibilities for failure due to differential settlement in case of construction of gravity structure (Rock Armor).
After a site visit with the client, many parameters including the bed profile & wave pattern of the region was examined & understood. The requirement of the project was to raise the beach level to a height of + 6m from (-) 1m bed level. The tidal range that pertains to this region was +1.5m above (MSL) 7 (-) 1m below (MSL) as low tide, which is not very significant to affect the stability of the Geotextile tube.
We proposed using TechFab Geotextile tubes (TechTube), which were made of engineered high strength woven fabric, have had been thought of as an effective solution to the problem due to its capability of controlling the shore erosion caused by strong wave action on the one hand and facilitating the natural deposition of the sand layer behind them in longer-term.
The Geotextile tubes are sustainable since being manufactured from high-quality Virgin Polypropylene material can offer the function of containment, filter, and reinforce soil. The permeability of the soil fill and geotextile has a significant influence on the tube structure. The geotextile for tube manufacturing has been selected based on the performance requirement parameters like strength; filter (AoS); type of infill soil material; seam strength & durability parameters, etc.
The client appreciated technical support provided by TechFab not only in the design of protection bund but also during the installation of geotextile tubes till the completion of the project. The client was very happy with the quality of material and the timely supply of material provided by TechFab India.
This system has been successfully installed in this project. The geotextile tubes that have been proven as an effective alternative to conventional methods for this project and helped in shore protection, erosion control, and reclamation.
The shoreline near the captive jetty was eroding due to strong wave action and rising sea levels. This not only threatened infrastructure and hinterland safety but also impacted sensitive coastal ecosystems such as mangroves and beach vegetation. Reclamation was needed to restore eroded land and protect the coastline.
Conventional bund construction using rock armour was costly, time‑consuming, and environmentally disruptive. Soil investigations revealed silty/sandy soils with clay pockets, prone to pore water pressure and differential settlement, making rigid gravity structures unsuitable.
TechFab India proposed TechTube Geotextile Tubes, engineered from high‑strength woven polypropylene fabric. These tubes:
The beach level had to be raised from (–)1 m bed level to +6 m. TechTube geotextile tubes were installed to stabilize the shoreline and enable reclamation without affecting tidal stability.
The system was successfully installed, providing effective shoreline protection and land reclamation. The client appreciated TechFab India’s technical support during design and installation, as well as the timely supply of high‑quality materials.
By delivering a sustainable, eco‑friendly alternative to conventional methods, TechFab India demonstrated its ability to combine engineering innovation with environmental sensitivity, ensuring coastal resilience and long‑term performance.
