Iberostar Resort Beach Enhancement, Jamaica

Challenge
The beach area of this hotel development was initially a shallow area with a silty seabed substrate that was unusable for recreational purposes.
Process
Over a period of 9 months, we transformed the swimming area by dredging the soft silty material and replacing it with course white sand. The area was also sheltered against high wave activity with three reef-like submerged breakwater structures, built some 30m offshore. A portion of the excavated material was washed and drained to extract the courser sand which was reused to nourish the swimming area.
Solution
SWIL conducted detailed bathymetric surveys of sites; environmental impact assessment; analysis of hurricane wave conditions and storm surge; detailed computer modeling of wave transformations over reef; sediment transport modeling; definition of design wave conditions and water levels at site; preliminary engineering of alternatives (including cost estimates); final engineering designs and drawings; technical specification; mitigation strategies for implementation during and following construction including use of turbidity barriers and monitoring requirements;
Construction was done by our construction company, Coastal and Marina Development Limited (COMAR), and SWIL provided construction supervision.