Kobe Steel Cultivates Demand for Flare-Shaped Seawalls

Kobe Steel plans to increase its sales of flare-shaped seawall, which is a deep re-curving parapet of steel and cement composition. The firm’s flare-shaped seawalls have already been adopted in Kure City of Hiroshima Prefecture, between Beppu City and Oita City of Oita Oita Prefecture, and in Okinawa Prefecture, those which can reflect 5-meter-high waves. Kobe Steel tries to cultivate the demand by development of larger type seawalls.

Flare-shaped seawall changes wave direction and returns waves back to the sea with its deep re-curving parapet. Flare-shaped seawall can reduce overtopping waves compared with vertical seawalls or wave-dissipating blocks. Seashore view can maintain without high seawalls and a mountain of wave-dissipating blocks. Sandy shore can also be kept. Moreover, the top part of flare-shaped seawall can be used as walkway.

The seawall is a composition of steel and cement, which contributes to less cement consumption despite of same strength. The seawall can be made nearby and transported by ship to shorten construction time and cost.