Measures to upgrade and enlarge the beach of an atoll in the Spartly islands

Abstract

    In the Spartly Islands, most atolls are small and narrow, less than 0.5 km2 , and yet these play important roles in the national defence and economy. Enlarging the atolls is a pratical approach and needs to be studied. It seems not feasible to apply the solution of beach nourishment with regards to the current international law and Vietnamese policy. The paper studies several measures to upgrade and enlarge the beach of an atoll including breakwaters, groynes, and harbour attached to the atoll. The three solutions enable to reduce wave energy, currents and affect the sediment transportation around the atoll. As a result, sedimentary accretion will probably take place in the lee side of structures, gradually building up the beach.