Revets

Revets are protective structures designed to shield banks, slopes, riverbeds and shorelines from erosion and wave action. In practice, the term is often used interchangeably with revetments, which are artificial or reinforced facing laid against vulnerable ground. Revets can be engineered to resist modest flows or high-energy coastal waves depending on site conditions.

Common materials include rock or concrete armor units, gabion baskets filled with rock, timber piles or boards, and steel sheet piles. Designs range from rock slope revetments that follow the natural contour of the ground to facing-type revetments anchored to a foundation. Some systems combine multiple materials in hybrid forms to improve energy dissipation and longevity.

Typical applications include river banks to protect navigation channels, coastal shorelines to limit cliff retreat, and highway embankments where earthworks are exposed to rainfall and runoff. They are often preferred where rapid fill stabilization is required and where a return to normal beach or bank profile is not readily feasible.

Key design considerations include slope stability, substrate geology, water levels and wave or current regimes, climate, and environmental impact. Engineers assess potential scour at the revetment toe, height of protection, and maintenance needs. Regular inspection is important, as damage can propagate if not repaired.

Revets have a long history in civil engineering, with ancient stone revetments used to protect riverbanks and harbors, and modern designs increasingly integrating geotextiles and modular armor units. See also revetment, seawall, gabion.