RIASSUNTO
This paper describes the concept,configuration and design for a breakwater to protect the twin 1150 megawatt nuclear generating plants for the Atlantic Generating Station. This station, the world's first major commercial floating nuclear generating station, will be built by Public Service Electric and Gas Company of New Jersey, Jersey Central Power and Light and Atlantic City Electric Company, in joint ownership. The breakwater is planned at a site off the coast of New Jersey opposite Little Egg Inlet The configuration, selected from many alternates, offers maximum protection from North Atlantic storms and hurricanes from any sector, yet provides for access by boat to an enclosed area in which the two floating generating plants will be moored. It also admits circulating water to each plant and precludes recirculation back into the breakwater enclosure. It also avoids fish entrapment and provides for free movement and lateral escape of all significant fish species. Development of the cross section from design studies based on the Hudson formula through stability and run up tests performed at the Waterways Experiment Station of the Army Corps of Engineers is coordinated with construction plans that will offer maximum protection to contractors' equipment at this site fully exposed to North Atlantic swells. Design conditions are described in which various hurricane storm intensities are evaluated together with the requirements for sustaining both earthquakeloads and possible tornado conditions.
The paper describes specific application of the current state of the art of breakwater design applied to the most massive structure so far contemplated. The site and bathymetry are specifically presented along with current information on currents, wind, waves, temperature variations and other site conditions in what is perhaps the most comprehensive site study undertaken.
The concept for the breakwater to serve the Atlantic Generating Station envisions a site within the limits of the state of New Jersey at a location that would offer the maximum benefit and least detriment to the ecology of the coastal system.(Figure 1.) This ecology includes not only the human population along the shore but also the marine and wildlife regimes in the vicinity. The concept provides for adequate protection for a pair of floating nuclear-powered generating plants, each of 1150 MW. capacity against all possible hazards to the safe operation of these plants. In addition to protection, the concept includes provision of approximately 2,000 cu. feet per second circulating water to each plant for cooling purposes, discharged at a location that would minimize recirculation into the plants and reduce to an absolute minimum the possibility of fish entrapment. Fina11Yt the concept must be capable of construction with existing construction equipment t or equipment readily fabricated with existing technology within a reasonable period of time under the inhospitable conditions in the North Atlantic.
From the standpoint of minimum effect upon the environment the specific site adopted is southeast of Little Egg Inlet about 2.8 miles from the shore and immediately behind a natural shoal that will offer some protection against the heavier swells. (Figure 2). This shoal t which has been in its present position at least 130 years t is the most northerly of a series of such shoals that continue along the east coast of North America in the middle latitudes t generally extending northeastward from a line parallel to the coast.