Location

Maldives

The Maldives is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, with an area of about 90,000 square kilometers and a population of about 560,000. The Maldives is one of the low-lying island states.  Maldives' chain of 26 atolls stretches across the equator from Ihavandhippolhu Atoll to Addu Atoll.

 

Issue

Increasing risk of high tide and sea-level rise

Like other small island nations, the Maldives is a low-lying state and is threatened by high tides and sea level rise. The traditional seawalls constructed by the Maldivian government were piled coral mass coated with mortar, making them vulnerable to storm surges. If the pressure from storm surges and other events increases due to climate change, there is a risk of damage to the population because of the inability to prevent it. There are many possible solutions to storm surges and sea level rise, but first, there was a need to build a strong seawall.

 

Solution / Lesson learned

Robust sea walls based upon local demands

In this case, Taisei Corporation's technology was utilized to create a robust sea wall using the following techniques based upon local demands: sloped revetment using ripraps and tetra pods - vertical seawall using concrete blocks and caissons (large concrete or steel boxes used in the construction of seawalls and other underwater or underground structures) and others. This allows for minimizing ecological impacts while addressing the increased risk of storm surges and sea level rise due to climate change.