UNF students design model to stop beach erosion

University of North Florida students said they may have come up with a solution to stop beach erosion.

As part of their senior capstone project, four students created a breakwater prototype.

The students said the detached breakwater is meant to create a barrier that stops the wave activity and helps accumulate sand in certain spots where it’s desperately needed.

To test the idea, the students built a small-scale model of a portion of St. Augustine beach that is known to be a hot spot for beach erosion.

Alessandro Soares, the team leader of the project ,said it’s still in the research stage, but is showing a lot of promise.

“I think it would be very nice to see it come to life., to see the community that has been suffering with this erosion problem at that one spot receiving, you know, having a solution," Soares said.

The group plans to make a pitch to the Army Corps of Engineer in the hopes that their project will turn into a permanent solution to protect the shoreline.

Cox Media Group