Port Oriel is a fishing port, located on the east coast of Ireland. The port consists of a small inland harbour basin and a pier, both built in 1885. The port has been modernised and the pier extended.
The rehabilitation and extension works have been carried out by Lagan Construction. The design was prepared by RPS. Lagan Construction proposed to use the Xbloc armour unit for both technical and economical reasons.
Port Oriel is the first Xbloc application in Europe.
Together with the University of Delft, DMC developed a numerical placement grid model. This numerical model was used for the first time in Ireland. Placement drawings are derived from this model. It optimises the unit position with respect to neighbouring units. The placement grid is distorted to allow for changing bottom level and curved sections; the model optimises the distorted placement grid.
Start of unit production
July 2005
Drop tests
September 2005
Start of unit placement
June 2006
Placement of units on round head
August 2006
Breakwater completed
February 2007
Hs
5.7 m
Length of breakwater
170 m
Size of Xblocs
4 m3
Number of units
1,600