Scour protection in hydraulic engineering describes the measures and structures used to prevent or reduce the erosion of sediment around offshore foundations, harbour facilities, bridge piers, and other hydraulic structures caused by flowing water, waves, and currents. Unprotected surfaces are subject to progressive material removal that undermines foundations or destabilises e.g. quary walls. Naue Secutex® Soft Rock geotextile sand containers and Secutex® H nonwoven filter layers stop scour at the source: reliably, durably and in compliance with international hydraulic engineering standards.
Naue scour protection solutions are deployed wherever hydraulic forces threaten bed stability, bank integrity and infrastructure foundations.
Protects river embankments against current-induced erosion, scour and undercutting
Absorbs wave energy and prevents progressive dyke toe erosion in exposed coastal settings
Stabilises bed material around bridge foundations subject to flow acceleration and scour hole formation
Prevents retrogressive erosion and scour formation at the waterside face of flood barriers
Protects offshore foundations, platforms, jetties and port structures against tidal scour
Scour protection systems must perform under dynamic hydraulic loading from day one. Secutex® Soft Rock geotextile sand containers (GSC) are engineered for exposed coastal and riverine applications. Needle-punched nonwoven construction provides abrasion resistance. Rounded edges prevent fluttering under wave attack. The open GSC side or retractable filling trunks allow on-site filling with locally available sand.
Practical advantages:
A scour protection system fails if the underlying filter layer is compromised. Hydraulic gradients drive fine particles from the subgrade into the armour layer or flush them from beneath. A properly designed geotextile filter prevents this migration while allowing water drainage. The filter must satisfy simultaneous retention, permeability and clogging criteria to EN 13251.
Key principle: Scour armour resists surface erosion. The geotextile filter and separation layer protects the structural integrity of the system foundation.
Core advantage: two independently optimised layers for complex hydraulic and geotechnical criteria
Core advantages: fewer installation layers, fewer site interfaces, faster construction programme
Product selection depends on exposure class, container volume, scour flap requirement, nonwoven construction and use case. Naue specialists as well as a question-guided digital SolutionFinder are available to support your selection process.
| Criterion | Secutex® Soft Rock R 801 | Secutex® Soft Rock Grand R 1201/1601 | Secutex® Soft Rock Grand RS 1201/1601 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exposure class | Moderate hydraulic loading; standard riverine or coastal | High hydraulic loading; wave attack; exposed coastal structures | Very high / extreme loading; offshore; port structures |
| Container volume | 1.2 m³ (1 filling trunk) | 2.5 m² container (2 filling trunks) | 2.5 m² container (2 trunks; composite nonwoven/woven) |
| Scour flap (SF) | Yes – Secutex® R 601 flap on longitudinal side | Yes – Secutex® R 601 flap (3.05m × 2.60m) | Yes – Secutex® R 601 flap (3.05m × 2.60m) on RS variants |
| Nonwoven construction | Single-layer needle-punched; robust; abrasion-resistant | Single-layer needle-punched; rounded edges prevent fluttering | Double-layer needle-punched/woven composite; maximum abrasion resistance |
| Recommended use | River bank; dyke toe; standard coastal revetment | Exposed coastal revetment; flood wall; bridge pier | Offshore; port; extreme wave energy dissipation zones |
Planners and engineers
Geotextile sand containers adapt to irregular seabed and riverbed geometry. The integrated scour flap covers scour ridges automatically without design revision. Filter and separation functions comply with EN 13251. The system follows hydraulic design standards including EAK, GBB and PIANC.
Project managers, ite engineers and contractors
Local sand fill eliminates quarried rock dependency and reduces transport cost. Containers are delivered flat-packed and filled on site via pre-manufactured retractable filling trunks. Units are positioned by hand, excavator or crane. The system is suitable for above-water and underwater installation.
Long-term durability: asset life performance
Double-seam technology and abrasion-resistant nonwoven ensure service life from moderate riverine to extreme coastal environments. The self-adapting scour flap reduces reactive maintenance. UV-resistant materials support long-term performance in exposed applications.
Scour protection in hydraulic engineering describes the installation of armour and filter systems to prevent bed and bank material being displaced by flowing water, wave action or tidal forces. It is required wherever hydraulic structures face erosive currents: river banks, dyke toes, bridge piers, coastal revetments and offshore foundations. Without scour protection, progressive erosion can lead to undermining and structural failure.
Selection depends on exposure class, fill volume and the need for a scour flap. Secutex® Soft Rock R 801 suits standard riverine and coastal applications. Grand R 1201 and 1601 address high hydraulic loading including wave attack. Grand RS 1201 and 1601 (double-layer) are specified for extreme exposure. A Secutex® nonwoven filter layer is installed beneath the container system to prevent fine particle migration.
Scour protection design follows EAK (Empfehlungen für Küstenschutzwerke), GBB (Geotechnische Bemessung von Uferböschungen an Wasserstraßen), BS 6349 (British Standard for Maritime Structures) and PIANC guidelines. Geotextile filter layers are designed to EN 13251. Our engineering team supports specification and design for individual project requirements. Digital calculation tools are available in the Naue Portal software environment.
Containers are delivered flat-packed and filled on site using locally available sand via pre-manufactured retractable filling trunks. Containers are positioned by excavator, crane or by hand depending on geometry. Underwater installation is feasible. Secugrid® geogrid wrap can be applied around containers to secure position under strong currents and wave action.
Yes. Secutex® Soft Rock products are designed for hydraulic engineering. Geotextile filter layers comply with EN 13251. Hydraulic design follows EAK, GBB and PIANC. Engineering team provides project-specific compliance documentation on request.
Secutex® Soft Rock GSC are deployed in hydraulic projects worldwide. In Scharbeutz, Germany, containers were installed in five layers at a coastal flood protection wall to absorb wave energy and prevent retrogressive erosion. Further reference case studies are available on this page.
The Secutex® Soft Rock Grand RS 1201/1601 is specified for extreme hydraulic exposure: offshore platforms, port structures and very high wave energy environments. The double-layer nonwoven/woven composite fabric provides maximum abrasion resistance not achievable with single-layer variants. The integrated scour flap (SF) automatically covers scour ridges that form under sustained hydraulic loading, eliminating the need for manual intervention after storm events.
Secutex® Soft Rock containers can be placed underwater using crane or barge without dewatering the work area. The filter geotextile beneath the container system must be placed prior to armour installation; sand mat variants of Secutex® nonwoven are available for underwater laying. Divers or ROVs may be used to verify placement at depth. Please contact us for installation manuals.
The dimensioning of scour protection systems follows recognised hydraulic engineering standards. A digital design tool supports project-specific system selection based on flow velocity, wave height, water depth and subgrade characteristics.
Naue Secutex® Soft Rock is a geotextile sand container for coastal protection, scour protection and riverbank stabilisation.
Naue Secutex® H is a geotextile for separation and filtration in hydraulic engineering, coastal protection and waterway construction.
