ACETube® - hydraulic structures
Geotextile Bags, Tubes and Containers
ACETube® - hydraulic structures- High grade fabric with satisfactory strength
Geotextile tube with exceptional high permeability
Good performance on hydraulic construction
Time reduction with cost effectiveness and less laborers required
About
Geotextile Tubes for Coastal Protection
ACETube® geotextile tube is a high grade fabric with satisfactory strength and exceptionally high permeability. Its a high-strength geotextile tube system designed for coastal protection, shoreline stabilization, embankment construction, and large-scale hydraulic works where erosion threatens land and infrastructure. Instead of depending on quarried stones or concrete armor, geotextile tubes are installed on site and filled with locally available sand, sediment, or dredged materials, forming a large, stable mass that interacts naturally with waves and currents. As water releases through the woven geotextile fabric, the structure consolidates, creating an efficient solution for long-term coastal erosion control.
Function
Containment
Protection
Filtration
Features
How Geotextile Tubes Work in Coastal & Shoreline Environments
Wave Energy Dissipation and Sand Retention
Once positioned offshore or along the shore, the geotextile tube acts as a flexible breakwater tube. ACETube® geotextile tubes are monolithic-tubular containers fabricated by multiple pieces of highly engineered synthetic woven fabrics. When waves hit the structure, the flexible mass absorbs and dissipates wave energy, reducing scouring and promoting natural sand settlement. Unlike rigid concrete armor, which can reflect energy and accelerate erosion, geotextile tubes work with coastal dynamics, helping trap sand, stabilize beaches, form dunes, and reinforce shorelines under repeated loading and changing weather conditions.
Hydraulic Behavior in Real Environments
ACETube® geotextile tubes functions as a hydraulic buffer, reducing flow velocity and interrupting energy transfer. As tides and currents move across the geotextile tube, sediments gradually collect around it, increasing land stability. Over time, natural vegetation may establish, further enhancing protection and blending the structure into the environment. This soft-engineering approach leads to sustainable beach nourishment where traditional structures struggle.
Fabric Technology & Structural Strength
Specially Engineered Woven Geotextile Fabric
ACETube® geotextile tubes are constructed using specially engineered fabric made from high-strength polymer yarns. The geotextile fabric combines mechanical resistance with controlled permeability, allowing water to drain from the filled structure while retaining the internal material. The high strength of the woven fabric enables long pumping distances and ensures that the geotextile tube remains stable during settlement.
Designed for Durability in Harsh Marine Exposure
Engineered for long service life, the system withstands UV exposure, abrasion, biological activity, hydrostatic pressure, and saline conditions commonly found in hydraulic environments. Whether placed on open beaches, river mouths, jetties, ports, or artificial breakwaters, the geotextile tube resists erosion, maintains integrity under waves, and continues performing under exposed conditions.
Installation Workflow in Hydraulic Projects
Site Preparation & Scour Protection
Before filling, the foundation is cleared and leveled for proper placement. A scour apron is typically installed beneath the breakwater tube to prevent undermining by toe erosion, currents, or storm flows. This layer ensures direct contact with the ground and maintains stability during operation.
Filling & Settlement Process
ACETube® geotextile tubes are positioned and connected to a pump, after which slurry of sand-water mixture is injected until reaching the design height. In order to ensure the filling height of the geotextile tubes as part of the structures, they need high tensile strength to bear the pumping pressure and high filtration properties to retain filling particles. As water exits through the permeable fabric, the retained solids densify. Once the geotextile fabric tube reaches final settlement and final cycle shape, it forms a rigid-yet-flexible hydraulic barrier. ACETube® have a very high tensile strength (up to 300kN/m), exceptionally high permeability and optimal pore sizes with the circumference exceeding 30 meters.
Structural Versatility & Site Adaptation
ACETube® geotextile tubes can be aligned along long stretches of coast, stacked when crest elevation is required, or fabricated in custom sizes to match project geometry. Because the system uses local material, transportation volume is reduced, making installation efficient, cost effective, and scalable across sites with limited rock resources.
Hydraulic Applications in Shoreline Engineering
Breakwaters, Revetments & Coastal Barriers
Geotextile tubes serve in:
• offshore structures functioning as breakwaters
• shoreline reinforcement and erosion control
• dune core construction and nourishment systems
By forming a permeable barrier, the structure allows controlled water flow while establishing land stability. ACETube® geotextile tube series are available in different colors (black / tan), dimensions, mechanic and hydraulic characteristics, and fabrication types to meet diverse project engineering needs.
Integration with Natural and Built Environments
As beaches rebuild and dunes thicken around the tube, the structure becomes a hybrid of natural and engineered elements. Its geometry and permeability reduce water turbulence, protect inland land, and ensure that hydraulic projects perform reliably across changing sea conditions.
The benefits of using ACETube® are summarized as below:
• High quality and durability to ensure long-term effectiveness of structures
• High mechanical and filtration performance to enhance usage efficiency
• Environmentally friendly with less carbon emission
• Easy handling and installation to reduce construction time and costs
• Cost-effective
Performance Benefits in Coastal Works
ACETube® geotextile tubes offers long-term reliability due to material strength, hydraulic function, foundation stability, and durability under constant environmental exposure. Once installed, the system forms a resilient coastal barrier capable of protecting shorelines, port infrastructure, recreational beaches, and waterfront development zones. Its reduced demand for concrete or rock makes it an environmentally friendly and economically attractive alternative in large-scale hydraulic engineering. The quality of ACETube® is ensured by the quality control and assurance process certified with ISO 9001.
Conclusion
Through engineered fabric strength, natural sand-filled stability, and energy-dissipation behavior, ACETube® geotextile tubes provide a sustainable method of coastal erosion control. In streams, lakes, beaches, and marine locations, the tubes shape land, protect infrastructure, and secure vulnerable shorelines through a practical installation method that adapts to real coastal conditions. As soft but robust hydraulic structures, geotextile tubes remain one of the most efficient, adaptive, and resilient systems for coastal protection worldwide.
Applications
Resources
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【Brochures】ACE Solutions with ACE Products:ACEGrid®, ACETex®, ACETube®
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【Brochures】ACETube® Product Brochure
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【Brochures】ACE Solutions in Hydraulic Engineering
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【Brochures】2024 CASE STUDY COLLECTION
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【Brochures】Case Study Collection-Safety and Reliability with ACE Solutions
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【Brochures】An Overview of ACEGrid®, ACETex®, and ACETube®
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【Data Sheets】ACETube® Geotextile Tube TDS
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【Installation Guidelines】Installation Guideline for ACETube® (Member Only)
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【Installation Guidelines】Installation Guideline for Submerged ACETube® (Member Only)
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【Papers】Application of Geotextile Tube on Offshore Submerged Breakwater and Its Carbon Reduction Benefit - A Case Study of Taichung Harbor Breakwater Foundation Protection Project
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【Papers】Protection of Pier Foundation of Zhongsha Bridge at Zhuoshui River
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【Papers】Geotextile Tubes in Groyne Structure Repair and Riverbank Protection
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【Papers】Integral Solution for Dos Bacas PEMEX Marine Facilities Beach Erosion Problem at Tabasco, Mexico
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【Papers】Modern breakwater solution of geotextile tube in UAE
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【Papers】Geotextile Tubes Application on Beach Nourishment in UAE
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【Papers】Geotextile Tubes Used in a Wind-Blown Sand Remediation Project in Taichung Harbor North Siltation Area
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【Others】Case Study Collection- Marine and Coastal Structures Construction
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【Videos】Collection of the International Cases for ACETube® , ACEContainer ®, and ACEFormer™
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【Videos】ACETube® Geotextile Tube Installation for Coastal Protection
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【Videos】Geosynthetic Application | How "Geotextile Tube in Shore Protection" is done?
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【Videos】ACETube® (Geotextile Tube) Solution for Barrier Island’s Inlet Restoration
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【Videos】Geotextile Tubes as Submerged Breakwaters for Harbor Protection
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ACETube® Product Brochure
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ACETube® Geotextile Tube TDS
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Installation Guideline for Submerged ACETube® (Member Only)
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Installation Guideline for ACETube® (Member Only)
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Application of Geotextile Tube on Offshore Submerged Breakwater and Its Carbon Reduction Benefit - A Case Study of Taichung Harbor Breakwater Foundation Protection Project
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Protection of Pier Foundation of Zhongsha Bridge at Zhuoshui River
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Modern breakwater solution of geotextile tube in UAE
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Geotextile Tubes Application on Beach Nourishment in UAE
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Geotextile Tubes Used in a Wind-Blown Sand Remediation Project in Taichung Harbor North Siltation Area
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Geotextile Tubes in Groyne Structure Repair and Riverbank Protection
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Integral Solution for Dos Bacas PEMEX Marine Facilities Beach Erosion Problem at Tabasco, Mexico
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Collection of the International Cases for ACETube® , ACEContainer ®, and ACEFormer™
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ACETube® Geotextile Tube Installation for Coastal Protection
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Geosynthetic Application | How "Geotextile Tube in Shore Protection" is done?
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ACETube® (Geotextile Tube) Solution for Barrier Island’s Inlet Restoration
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Geotextile Tubes as Submerged Breakwaters for Harbor Protection
Related Case Studies
Cofferdam Construction for Renewable Energy Plan, Taiwan
Application:Cofferdams
Protection of Pier Foundation of Zhongsha Bridge at Zhuoshui River, Changhua, Taiwan
Application:Revetments, Pier Scour Protection System
Dredge and Land Reclamation, Anping Harbor, Tainan, Taiwan
Application:Sediment Dredging, Seawalls and Bulkheads