Dynamic revetment

Their crisscrossed arrangement provides dynamic stability even when impacted by high tides and waves, capturing wind-blown sand and encouraging the growth of foredunes.

It was observed that a beach immediately began to form along the toe of the eroding slide, consisting of the coarsest materials, gravel, cobbles and boulders.

With its accumulation, the rate of toe erosion progressively slowed, the material having sorted itself into a protective gravel and cobble beach, backed in riprap-like fashion by a line of armor-sized boulders.

[5] In 1996 a rock jetty was constructed to protect State Route 105 near North Cove, which appeared to increase the erosion to the east by redirecting the force of the waves.

The revetment generally performed as intended, with storm erosion transporting the berm material to the toe where it can buffer and dissipate wave energy.

However, due to project footprint constraints, the cobble berm was constructed with a narrow width at the western end where wave energy is highest.

[11] Working with regulatory agencies, the principles of Adaptive management and Design with Nature were incorporated into the project to allow for learning and change based on periodic monitoring by Washington State Department of Ecology.

This work drew the attention of coastal engineering academics in the USA and internationally, and David co-authored several papers on the topic of dynamic revetments.