Protecting Langkawi's Meritus Pelangi Beach with GEOTUBE

Overview 

The Meritus Pelangi Beach Resort, situated in Pantai Cenang, Langkawi, has been experiencing severe erosion during the Southwest Monsoon since 2016. The conventional sandbags used to combat erosion proved ineffective, as they were easily displaced and weak against strong waves. As a result, the beachfront has significantly narrowed, and the scenic views and long stretches of sand have been destroyed. 

Challenge 

To address this issue, the resort assessed various erosion protection methods. After careful consideration, the Tencate solution, combining GEOTUBE^® GT650MC and Geobag composites, was chosen due to its cost-effectiveness and ease of filling and handling. 

Solution 

The installation process involved deploying scour aprons and filling anchor tubes prior to placing the GEOTUBE unit. The targeted shoreline area was trimmed back before laying the filled Geobags in an overlapping shingle style from the embankment's base. This method ensured maximum stability and protection during high water flows. To streamline the filling process, a filling frame was used, and polyester lifting straps were employed to lift and position the bags securely. 

The GEOTUBE unit utilized a robust composite fabric in a beach sand color, capable of trapping sand within its structure. This resulted in a stable GEOTUBE System that could withstand waves, storm surges, weathering, and prolonged exposure to sunlight. Following site preparation, the GEOTUBE GT650MC unit was laid out, and sand was hydraulically pumped from the sea into the GEOTUBE unit through one of the fill ports until reaching the desired height of 1.24 m (4.08 ft).