Articulated

Concrete Block Design

By Bryan N. Scholl; Christopher I. Thornton, Ph.D., P.E.; and Barrie King, E.I.T.

AUGUST 2010
 Professional Development Series

Articulated Concrete Block Design

By Bryan N. Scholl; Christopher I. Thornton, Ph.D., P.E.; and Barrie King, E.I.T.

S
ediment transport in streams and rivers is inevi- to some degree along their adjoining faces, allowing the
table as the stream or river transport capacity system to conform to changes in the subgrade while main-
rises and falls with the streamflow. If the trans- taining the protective cover. Open-cell forms of ACB are also
port capacity in a location exceeds the sediment available that allow vegetation to be established, improving
supply, erosion will occur. Streambank erosion must be stability and aesthetic appeal. A few generic examples of
controlled in critical areas (e.g. near bridge crossings) for potential ACB shapes are presented in Figure 1. Regardless
safety as well as economic reasons. The same is true of of the manufacturer specifics, failure of an ACB system is
bridge piers where general and local scour during a flood
event may temporarily or permanently lower the streambed
level by several feet, potentially endangering the structure. Figure 1. Examples of ACB units and systems (TEK 11-12, 2002)
Articulated concrete block systems (ACBs) are an effective
countermeasure if properly designed and installed. This
article will cover ACB design including the safety factor
analysis and overturning moment design approach outlined
in Hydraulic Engineering Circular No. 23: Bridge Scour and
Stream Instability Countermeasures: Experience, Selection,
and Design Guidance-Third Edition, Volume 2 (HEC-23).
ACBs provide a flexible option to other erosion counter-
measures such as riprap, soil cement, grout-filled mattresses,
etc. As they are not intended for slope stabilization, slope
stability must be ascertained prior to considering an ACB
system. ACB systems are composed of preformed concrete
blocks that are interconnected through a combination of
form and/or cables. The blocks are able to articulate

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Design applications of articulated concrete blocks
After reading the learning objectives below, read the
(ACBs).
Professional Development Series article, complete the
Acceptable factor of safety values with respect to appli-
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cation.
Development Series sponsor for grading. Submittal instruc-
ACB design procedure for hydraulic velocity and bed
tions are provided on the Reporting Form on page 7. If
shear.
you answer at least 80 percent of the questions correctly,
you will receive a certificate of completion from the spon- The industrys definition of failure for ACB Systems.
sor within 90 days and will be awarded 1.0 professional Scour countermeasure design.
development hour (equivalent to 0.1 continuing educa-
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always defined as the local loss of intimate contact between similar to that introduced by Stevens and
the revetment and the subgrade it protects. Extensive test- Simons (1971) and modified by Julien
ing and field monitoring has shown loss of contact can (1995) in the Factor of Safety derivation
result in one or more of the following: method for sizing riprap. For ACBs, the force
ingress of flow beneath the armor layer, causing balance has been recomputed using the weight and
increased uplift pressure and separation of blocks from geometry of the concrete blocks and test results are used
the subgrade; in place of the Shields relationship. Also, additional lift
loss of subgrade soil through gradual piping erosion and/ and drag forces generated by block protrusion above the
or washout; surrounding matrix level are considered. Figure 2 presents
enhanced potential for rapid saturation and liquefaction additional lift and drag forces created by block protrusion,
of subgrade soils, causing shallow slip geotechnical fail- F'L and F'D respectively.
ure (especially in fine-grained, low-cohesive soils on steep The recommended design procedure for ACBs is the
slopes); and factor of safety method. Step 1 is to determine the mini-
loss of block or group of blocks from the revetment mum acceptable target factor of safety from site-specific
matrix, directly exposing the subgrade to flow. details using Tables 1 through 3 and the relationship:
SFT = SFB X C X M Eq. 1
The importance of maintaining intimate contact with the
subgrade cannot be overstated, and a suitable filter and/or where SFT = target factor of safety, SFB = base factor of
drainage layer are considered essential to the proper design safety, XC = multiplier based on consequence of failure, and
of an ACB system. A detailed discussion of filter design is XM = multiplier based on hydraulic model uncertainty.
beyond the scope of this article but may be found in Design According to HEC-23, typically, a minimum allowable
Guide 16 of HEC-23. If dune-type bedforms may occur at factor of safety of 1.2 is used for revetment (bank protec-
the protected slopes toe, it is strongly recommended that tion) when the project hydraulic conditions are well known
only a geotextile filter be considered. When evaluating a and the installation can be conducted under well-controlled
potential ACB system for which performance testing utilized conditions. Higher factors of safety are typically used for
a drainage layer, a drainage layer must also be used in the protection at bridge piers, abutments, and at channel bends
design. due to the complexity in computing hydraulic conditions
ACB system design uses a discrete particle approach at these locations. The proposed design is then evaluated
using a moment balance approach to follow. The factor of
safety is then iteratively evaluated against the minimum
acceptable value until an acceptable design is determined.
Table 1. Base factor of safety, SFB
Once the target factor of safety has been determined
Example Application SFB (Step 1), design steps are as follows: 2) calculate design
Channel bed or bank 1.2 1.4 shear stress, 3) obtain ACB properties, 4) calculate the factor
Bridge pier or abutment 1.5 1.7 of safety parameters for each product, and 5) calculate the
Overtopping spillway 1.8 2.0 factor of safety for potential blocks and choose the appro-
priate product based on the target factor of safety.
Design shear stress des is calculated using Equation 2:
Table 2. Consequence of failure multiplier, XC des = Kb y Sf Eq. 2
Consequence of failure XC where des = design shear stress (lb/ft2), Kb = bend coef-
Low 1.0 1.2 ficient (dimensionless), = unit weight of water (lb/ft3),
Medium 1.3 1.5
High 1.6 1.8 Figure 2. Additional lift and drag created by block protrusion
Extreme or loss of life 1.9 2 .0 (Lagasse, 2009)

Table 3. Multiplier base on hydraulic model, XM

Hydraulic model XM
Deterministic
(e.g. HEC-RAS, RMA-2V) 1.0 1.3
Empirical or stochastic
(e.g. Mannings or Rational Equation) 1.4 1.7
Estimates 1.8 2.0

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 Articulated Concrete Block Design

y = maximum depth of flow on revetment downslope corner of the block.

(ft), and Sf = slope of the energy grade line The safety factor SF of a single block in the ACB matrix
(ft/ft). that must be evaluated against the previously calculated
The bend coefficient is used to calculate the target factor of safety SFT is the ratio of restraining moments
increased shear stress on the outside of a bend. Kb is a to overturning moments,
function of the ratio of the radius of curvature Rc and the (2 /1 )a
top width of the channel, T: SF = Eq. 4
3 F 'D cos + 4 F 'L
cos (1 a ) + 1(2 /1 ) +
2
Kb = 2.0 for 2 Rc /T 1WS

Kb = 2.38 0.206
Rc
T ( )
+ 0.0073
Rc
T ( ) for 10 > Rc /T > 2
Variable definitions and calculation methods are presented
in Table 4. These equations may be used with English or SI
units provided consistency is maintained.
Kb = 1.05 for Rc /T 10 Eq. 3
Once a block has been selected, the longitudinal and
Figures 3 through 6 present schematics of a single ACB vertical extent of the installation must be determined.
on a side slope with variables defined for the factor of safety Longitudinally, revetment armor should be continuous for
analysis. Required block properties that must be obtained a distance which extends both upstream and downstream
are presented in Figure 5 and Figure 6. In the general case, of the region which experiences hydraulic forces severe
the pivot point O will be located at the downstream, enough to cause dislodging and/or transport of bed or bank

Table 4. Factor of safety design equations

F 'L = F 'D = 0.5b(z)(Vdes )2 Eq. 5 0 = des /C Eq. 9

= arctan(tan0 /tan1 ) Eq. 6 a = (cos 1 ) 2 (sin0 ) 2 Eq. 10

= arctan
(( 4
3 )(
+1
cos(0 + )
1 a2
)
0(2 /1 )
+ sin(0 + ) ) Eq. 7 1 = 0
(
(4 /3 ) + sin(0 + + )
(4 /3 ) + 1 ) Eq. 11

= 90
Eq. 8
WS = W ( C W
C ) Eq. 12

aq = projection of WS into subgrade plane

d = angle between drag force and block motion (degrees)
b = block width normal to flow (ft) (typically accepted as 2
times 12) h0 = stability number of a block on horizontal surface
(dimensionless)
F'D = F'L = added drag/lift from block protrusion (lb)
h1 = stability number of a block on sloped surface
,x = block moment arm (ft) (dimensionless)
c = block concrete density (lb/ft3) q = angle between side slope projection of WS and
w = density of water (lb/ft3) vertical (degrees)
Vdes = design velocity (ft/s) q0 = channel bed slope (degrees)
W = weight of block in air (lb) q1 = side slope of block installation (degrees)
Ws = submerged block weight (lb) r = mass density of water 1.94 (slugs/ft3)
Dz = block protrusion height above matrix (ft) (value will have tc = critical shear stress for block on a horizontal surface
to be assumed based on block placement tolerance) (lb/ft2)
b = angle between block motion and vertical (degrees) tdes = design shear stress (lb/ft2)

Note: q1 = 0 for the equations cannot be solved; a very small, non-zero side slope must be used when q1 = 0.

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material. The minimum distances recommended are an freeboard is 1 to 2 feet; if constricted, the
upstream distance of 1.0 channel width and a downstream minimum is 2 to 3 feet. For supercritical
distance of 1.5 channel widths. ... In meandering reaches, flow, freeboard is measured from the energy
the present limit of erosion may not necessarily define the grade line, not the water surface. The system
ultimate downstream limit. FHWAs Hydraulic Engineering must cover the entire channel bottom. Or, if the chan-
Circular No. 20, Stream Stability at Highway Structures, nel bed is unlined, it must extend below the bed level to
provides guidance for the assessment of lateral migration. the extent that it will not be undermined by maximum
Vertically, freeboard above the design water surface must scour caused by toe scour, contraction scour, and long-term
be provided. If the reach is unconstricted, a minimum degradation in combination. The recommended extent of
vertical installation is presented in Figures 7 and 8.
Safety factor calculation methods are similar for revet-
Figure 3. Channel cross section ment or pier scour applications with two notable exceptions:
design velocity Vdes and design shear stress des determina-
tion. For typical revetment applications, a cross sectional
average velocity is generally acceptable if a detailed hydrau-
lic analysis has not been performed. Flow conditions near
bridge piers are more severe; however, and require that
local velocity and shear stress values be determined. If a

Figure 6. View normal to section A-A (shown in Figure 4)

Figure 4. Top view of block on side slope

Figure 7. Recommended revetment installation for bank and bed armor

Figure 5. Section A-A (shown in Figure 4)

Figure 8. Recommended revetment installation without bed armor

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 Articulated Concrete Block Design

stream velocity distribution is unavailable, be installed horizontally, flush with the streambed provid-
the recommended method is provided in ing turndowns at the periphery. If other processes or types
NCHRP Report 593: of scour are expected, the system must be sloped away
from the pier in all directions, terminating at the periphery
Vdes = K1 K2Vavg Eq. 13
below the streambed at a depth greater than the maximum
where Vdes = design velocity for conditions at the pier expected scour or bedform troughs, whichever is greater.
(ft/s), K1 = pier shape factor equaling 1.5 for round-nose Blocks should not be placed on a slope greater than 2H:1V
piers and 1.7 for square-edge piers, K2 = velocity adjustment (50 percent), even if this results in blocks being placed
factor for pier location in the channel ranging from 0.9 near greater than two pier widths from the pier.
the bank in a straight reach to 1.7 when the pier is located Assistance in predicting bedform geometry may be found
in the main current of flow around a sharp bend, and Vavg = in Karim (1999), van Rijn (1984), and Bennett (1997), who
average approach velocity upstream of the bridge (ft/s). provided an upper limit of crest-to-trough height, , as
If the velocity distribution is available, the maximum < 0.4y where y is the depth of flow. This would suggest the
velocity in the active channel Vmax should be used and maximum bedform trough depth below ambient level is
approximately 0.2 times the depth of flow.
Vdes = K1 Vmax Eq. 14
Wall piers or pile bents consisting of multiple columns
The design shear stress at the pier is then calculated may be skewed to the direction of flow and the ACB protec-
using, tion must be extended to protect against the additional
scour potential. In the absence of definitive guidance, the

( )
2
nVdes W system should be extended by a factor K a function of pier
des = Eq. 15
Ku y 1/3 width (a), length (L) and skew angle (),

( )
0.65
acos + Lsin
where des = design shear stress for local pier conditions K = Eq. 16
(lb/ft2), n = Mannings n value for the block system, Vdes = a
design velocity determined by Equation 13 or 14 (ft/s), w = A filter is typically required for bridge pier applications
unit weight of water (62.4 lb/ft3 for fresh water), y = depth of ACBs and should extend beneath the complete extent
of flow at pier (ft), and Ku = 1.486 for English units, 1.0 for of the system. The geotextile should be securely attached
SI. to the bottom of the pre-assembled ACB mat prior to lift-
It has been shown that optimum performance of ACBs ing with a crane and spreader bar. In shallow water where
in pier scour protection is obtained when the blocks are velocities are low, the geotextile may be placed under water
extended at least twice the pier width in all directions from and held in place temporarily with weights until the blocks
the pier. Recommended pier installation is presented in are placed. As in the case of revetment installations, if
Figure 9. If only local scour is expected, the system may dune-type bedforms may be present, it is strongly recom-
mended that only a geotextile filter be considered. An
observed failure point at ACB bridge pier installations is the
Figure 9. Recommended pier installation extents seal where the mat meets the pier. Securing the geotextile
to the pier aids in preventing bed material loss around the
pier. Structural attachment of the mat to the pier is strongly
discouraged; moment transfer from the mat to the pier may
affect the structural stability of the pier.
When properly designed, an ACB system can provide an
excellent design alternative when considering the level of
protection afforded for the installed cost.

Bryan N. Scholl, is a research assistant for Colorado State

University. He can be contacted at [email protected].
edu. Christopher I. Thornton, Ph.D., P.E., is director of
the Hydraulics Laboratory and Engineering Research Center at
Colorado State University. He can be contacted at thornton@engr.
colostate.edu. Barrie King, E.I.T., is the supervisor of engineering
for CONTECH Construction Products Armortec product line. He
can be contacted at [email protected].

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 REFERENCES
Bennett, J.P., 1997, Resistance, Sediment Transport, and Bedform Geometry Relationships in Sand-Bed Channels, in:
Proceedings of U.S. Geological Survey Sediment Workshops, Feb. 4-7.

Dunlap, S., 2001, Design Manual for Articulating Concrete Block Systems, Harris County Flood Control District, Houston,
Texas.

Julien, P.Y., 1995, Erosion and Sedimentation, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.

Karim, F., 1999, Bed-Form Geometry in Sand-Bed Flows, Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, vol. 125, No.12, December.

Lagasse, P.F., Schall, J.D., and Richardson, E.V., 2001, Stream Stability at Highway Structures, Third Edition, Hydraulic Engineering
Circular No. 20, FHWA NHI 01-002, Washington, D.C.

Lagasse, et al., 2007, Countermeasures to Protect Bridge Piers from Scour, NCHRP Report 593, Transportation Research Board, National
Academies of Science, Washington, D.C.

Lagasse, P.F., Clopper, P.E., Pagn-Ortiz, J.E., Zevenbergen, L.W., Arneson, L.A., Schall, J.D., and Girard, L.G., 2009, Bridge Scour and
Stream Instability Countermeasures: Experience, Selection and Design Guidance, Volume 2, Third Edition, Hydraulic Engineering Circular
No. 23, FHWA NHI 09-112, Washington, D.C. (www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/hydpub.htm)

Stevens, M.A., and Simons, D.B., 1971, Stability Analysis for Coarse Granular Material on Slopes, in: River Mechanics, Shen, H.E. (ed.),
Water Resources Publications, Fort Collins, Colo.

van Rijn, L.C., 1984, Sediment Transport, Part III: Bed Forms and Alluvial Roughness, Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, vol. 110, No. 12,
December.

Articulating Concrete Block Revetment Design Factor of Safety Method, TEK 11-12. National Concrete Masonry Association, Herndon,
Virginia, 2002.

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Article Title: Articulated Concrete Block Design
Publication Date: August 2010
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Quiz instructions
On the Professional Development Series Reporting Form, circle the correct answer for each of the following questions. Or, go to www.
cenews.com/continuing-education.html to take the quiz online; quiz answers will be graded automatically and, if you answer at least 80
percent of the questions correctly, you can immediately download a certificate of completion.

1. ACBs provide a flexible erosion countermeasure

alternative to which of the following?

a) soil cement c) riprap

b) grout-filled mattresses d) all of the above

2. Which of the following is the failure criterion for ACB

systems?

a) block protrusion greater than 0.25 inch

b) average soil loss greater than 0.5 inch

c) local loss of intimate contact between the revetment

and the subgrade 7. Provided the ACB in the above figure, tdes = 6.3 lb/ft2,
tc = 24.6 lb/ft2, z = 0.5 inch, S0 = 0.01 ft/ft, side slope
d) visible deformation of the ACB system surface
of 2H:1V, Vdes = 11.0 ft/s, and concrete density of 140
3. Which of the following is most correct? lb/ft3, calculate the factor of safety, SF.

a) a drainage layer is required for ACB installation a) 1.48 c) 1.74

b) a suitable filter and/or drainage layer are essential b) 2.15 d) 1.20

c) a drainage layer is required if used during performance

8. Which statement best describes what freeboard should
testing
be maintained for an ACB revetment system?
d) b and c
a) a minimum freeboard of 1 to 2 feet is acceptable for an
4. What is the most likely Target Factor of Safety, SFT, for unconstricted reach
a bridge pier installation on a metropolitan interstate
b) freeboard should never be less than 3 feet
highway using HEC-RAS to determine flow velocity?
c) a minimum freeboard of 2 to 3 feet is acceptable for a
a) 1.2 c) 3.2
constricted reach
b) 2.2 d) 6.0
d) both a and c

5. For an outside bend bank revetment installation, where

9. What is one of the major calculation differences when
the radius of curvature is 920 feet, top width is 218 feet,
maximum flow depth is 9.1 feet, bed slope is 0.010 ft/ designing an ACB system for a bridge pier application
ft and energy grade line is 0.007 ft/ft, determine the versus a revetment?
design shear stress. a) bed-form influences
a) 4.2 psf c) 7.9 psf b) design velocity
b) 6.5 psf d) 9.3 psf c) angle between block motion and vertical calculation

6. A square ACB with a surface area of 2 ft2 is installed d) added drag force determination
with flow perpendicular at 8.9 ft/s and protrudes 0.6
inches above the surrounding matrix. What is the 10. For a bridge pier application, what installation width
added drag force? results in optimum performance of ACBs?

a) 5.4 lb c) 64.5 lb a) at least 1 pier width c) at least 2 pier widths

b) 7.7 lb d) 173.0 lb b) at least 1.5 pier widths d) at least 3 pier widths

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