Velocity, Rapid Drawdown and Wave Testing of Prototype Anchor Vertica Units

The St. Anthony Falls Hydraulic Laboratory (SAFHL) was contracted by Anchor Wall Systems, Inc. to perform hydraulic testing of its Anchor Vertica units. The testing was performed during March and April of 1995 in SAFHL's largest flume, measuring 6 ft high x 9 ft wide x 253 ft long, with a maximum discharge capacity of 300 ft^3/s. The tests were undertaken to evaluate Vertica block performance when subjected to conditions which may be encountered in channel and shoreline applications. This report describes the test procedures and technical data obtained during the testing of the Vertica units. As such this report provides background for a video produced by Promotovision entitled "Anchor Keeps the Water Away." Two different test walls were constructed to evaluate three potential mechanisms which could lead to possible failure. 1. Wall performance when subjected to high velocity water flowing past a channel wall entrance and passing along a channel side wall. 2. The effects of rapid drawdown on a wall under saturated backfill conditions. 3. The effects of repeated wave impact on wall performance