Abstract:
A seawall element and installation apparatus therefor, the seawall element including an elongated plastic tubular member having a uniform hollow elliptic or oval-shaped cross section and open at each end thereof. The tubular member has a cylindrically-shaped male portion and cavity interlocking arrangement for interlocking two side by side tubular members together by slidable overlapping substantially watertight engagement lengthwise of one tubular member to another. A seawall structure includes a plurality of these seawall tubular members positioned side by side in self-locking engagement to form a row and supported by being supportively embedded into the earth. An elongated cast concrete reinforcing cap extends along and interconnects an upper end portion of each of the seawall tubular members and extends monolithically into each of the tubular member upon deployment. An apparatus for water jetting each tubular member into bottom ground is also disclosed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     Not applicable  
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not applicable  
       INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC  
       [0003]     Not applicable  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0005]     This invention relates generally to a seawall or barrier imposed between up lands and a body of water defining the limits of each and particularly wherein the seawall is composed of a plurality of elongated oval-shaped tubular members or sections. The bottom of each section is buried into the ground by methods well known to the industry or by use of a special apparatus disclosed herein. There are two separate interlocks between each of the sections to prevent leakage of ground materials from the upland into the water. The integrity of the interlocks may be further enhanced by filling the included area between the interlocks with a hardening material such as concrete.  
         [0006]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0007]     Seawalls are typically constructed utilizing formed or rolled steel or other metallic material panels which interlock together edge to edge as each elongated panel of the seawall is installed and embedded or driven into the ground adjacent a body of water. Each of the interlocking seawall panels is typically formed of steel and includes some corrosive resistant feature, particularly when deployed adjacent a body of salt water. However, such seawalls are known to be relatively short lived and must be replaced periodically due to rust and electrolysis at considerable expense. Interlocking PVC material is also used, but must be reinforced with pilings and longitudinal members known as walers.  
         [0008]     Prior art patents include the following: 
        U.S. Pat. No. 738,346 issued to Mouchel     U.S. Pat. No. 905,771 issued to Upson     U.S. Pat. No. 910,421 issued to Schlueter     U.S. Pat. No. 1,693,311 issued to Miller et al.     U.S. Patent No. 2,439,606 issued to Hurt     U.S. Pat. No. 3,739,588 issued to Schroter et al.     U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,374 issued to Colbert et al.     U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,983 issued to Weatherby     U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,684 issued to Rosenstock     U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,192 issued to Colle     U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,052 issued to McCullers     U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,071 issued to Roper, Jr.     U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,339 issued to Bullivant     U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,098 issued to Lipsker     U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,348 issued to Breaux     U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,082 issued to Hiller, et al.     U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,247 issued to Endres et al.     U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,583 issued to Gibson     U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,641 issued to Stephens, et al.     U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,360 issued to Wood II     U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,851 issued to Norfolk, et al.     U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,826 issued to Mansfield     U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,675 issued to Moreau     U.S. Pat. No. 6,224,294 issued to Mansfield     U.S. Pat. No. 6,312,196 issued to Mansfield     U.S. Pat. No. 6,427,402 issued to White        
 
         [0035]     My previous U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,826 addresses, in part, one of the difficulties of using anything other than the conventional interlocking steel panels to form a seawall. In this patent, I teach the use and deployment of tubular pilings formed of p.v.c. plastic material. Prior to the teaching in this patent, the use of such plastic tubular material was not well known. Two important aspects facilitating this invention were there disclosed, namely, a method and apparatus for embedding a plastic tubular piling into the water bed and a driving apparatus and method for deploying tubular plastic pilings into the water bottom.  
         [0036]     Another previous U.S. Pat. No. 6,312,196 adds to this teaching and expands it into the area of seawall construction. By incorporating a tubular member formed of p.v.c. with sufficient strength, the expected service life of such seawalls is greatly extended because of the inert nature of p.v.c. material. That invention was directed to a seawall anchored into ground adjacent to a body of water comprising a plurality of elongated tubular members arranged in upright side by side relation one to another forming a seawall section, a lower portion of each tubular member embedded into, and receiving support from, the ground along an edge of the body of water and method of installation thereof. An elongated generally horizontal rebar-reinforced concrete cap extends along, and rigidly interconnects together, each upper end portion of each of the tubular members. The cap is cast formed in place after the tubular members are installed. Each tubular member is preferably rebar-reinforced and substantially filled with a cured aggregate reinforcement. A layer of filter cloth is held in place by fill dirt placed against the land or dry side of the seawall to substantially prevent fill dirt placed against the dry side of tubular members from washing into the body of water between adjacent tubular members. A tie back is connected at each end thereof to, and extending between, the cap and a ground anchor spaced from the tubular members.  
         [0037]     The first interlock of the present invention is formed by a common ball and socket arrangement such that each section contains a ball along one edge and an open grooved socket along the other edge of each section. The second interlock is formed by a thin membrane that is pre-formed during the section manufacturing to exert a slight biased pressure against the adjoining section. A female locking tab further assures that the membrane nests against the adjoining section, and cannot separate during installation.  
         [0038]     All tubular sections or members are designed for cement filling while forming a concrete cap utilizing a unique set of forms which may be flexible to allow for a degree of non-linearly of the sections to create bends or rigid to assure parallel alignment of the tubular members. After the cement cures and the forms are removed, a preformed matching thermoplastic cap can be snapped into place for both aesthetic and utilitarian enhancement.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0039]     The invention is directed to a thin wall hollow oval shaped tubular member, preferably extruded polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride or the like, with a ball at one end of the cross section thereof and an open mating slot at the other or distal end of the cross section from one tubular member. A flexible thin fin or plate extends to a mating slot in the next adjacent tubular member, or alternatively, a thin sheet metal or polyvinyl chloride flat stock extends between facing slots on each of the tubular members to define a triangular cavity between the fin or plate and the outer surfaces of the adjoining tubular members that may also be filled with cement in a monolithic pour with the elliptical tubular members and the formed cap.  
         [0040]     The elliptical or oval tubular members are driven and/or jetted into place by a special lightweight apparatus that combines both a vibratory or impact action and a water jet that both washes and drives each tubular member to the required depth in the bottom ground. The upper ends are then cut to the desired uniform height.  
         [0041]     The formed cap is defined by flexible angle pieces that attach to the sidewalls of the tubular members slightly below the top and conform to the exterior profile of the multiple sections. Strength of the cap may be increased by laying common reinforcement bars along the length of the seawall. After the addition of the reinforcement bars, the top of two flexible angle pieces are strapped together to obtain parallelism of the angle sidewalls.  
         [0042]     Before making the monolithic pour of cement that bonds the sections and creates the cap, all required tiebacks and drainage piping must be placed and held in position while the small aggregate cement is poured and vibrated around these auxiliary enhancements. Access to produce a monolithic pour is gained through the top of the open channel formed by the two parallel sides of the angle walls, which act as a funnel to direct the cement into the seawall sections. A movable sheet metal or plastic catch basin may be used to catch any excess cement that spills over on the waterside during the pouring and leveling operation.  
         [0043]     After the cement cures and the flexible angular forms are removed revealing an independent self supporting structure, a thermoplastic cap with flexible sidewalls and bent lips can be deformed by bending the lips sufficiently apart to allow the unit in the lengthwise direction to slip over the cured concrete cap providing an aesthetically pleasing appearance, protection of the concrete cap and protection of any boat laying against the structure.  
         [0044]     It is therefore an object of this invention to disclose a hollow oval shaped tubular seawall member with a ball at one end of the oval and an open mating slot at the distal end designed such that the ball of one end engages and mates with the open slot of the adjacent section.  
         [0045]     It is a further objective of this invention to disclose a hollow oval shaped tubular seawall member with a ball at one end and an open mating slot at the distal end designed such that the ball of one end engages and mates with the open slot of the adjacent section, and also including a thin fin or plate that extends from the minor axis of the exterior of the oval on the upland side and extends into a mating slot in the adjacent section.  
         [0046]     It is a further objective of this invention to disclose a hollow oval shaped tubular member with a ball at one end and an open mating slot at the distal end designed such that the ball of one end engages and mates with the open slot of the adjacent section, each section also including a thin fin or plate that extends from the minor axis of the exterior of the oval on the upland side and extends into a mating slot in the adjacent section, and defines generally a triangular section that can be filled with concrete to further protect the ball and open mating slot connection.  
         [0047]     It is a further objective of this invention to disclose a hollow oval shaped tubular member with a ball at one end and an open mating slot at the distal end designed such that the ball of one end engages and mates with the open slot of the adjacent section, further including a separate thin plate that extends from, but not attached to a slot in the first seawall member to a second slot and so forth in such a manner that each plate covers and lends extra protection to the aforementioned ball and socket set between each section.  
         [0048]     It is a further objective of this invention to disclose a hollow oval shaped tubular member with a ball at one end and an open mating slot at the distal end designed such that the ball of one end engages and mates with the open slot of the adjacent section, further including a separate thin plate that extends from but not attached to a slot in the first seawall member to a slot second and so forth in such a manner that each plate covers and lends extra protection to the aforementioned ball and socket set between each seawall member, and defines generally a triangular section which may be filled with concrete to further protect the ball and open mating slot connection.  
         [0049]     And it is a further objective of this invention that the material of the hollow oval shaped tubular member be extruded polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride material or the like using an ultraviolet stable material formulation.  
         [0050]     And it is a further objective of this invention to provide a vibratory driver with jet apparatus for securing the oval tubular members into the bottom ground.  
         [0051]     And it is a further objective of this invention to provide a jetting apparatus that locates the wash water directly under the leading edge of each elliptical or oval seawall member.  
         [0052]     And it is a further objective of this invention to provide a water jetting apparatus that directs a stream of wash water into the female slot directly in front of the mating male ball protrusion.  
         [0053]     And it is a further objective of this invention to provide a water jetting apparatus that during use encapsulates the bottom ground solids forming a plug that can be readily removed along with the inner bell of the jetting device for disposal on the upland side of the seawall or other acceptable disposal methods.  
         [0054]     And it is a further objective of this invention to provide a set of forms in right angle configuration that can be flexed to conform with the small non-lineal disposition of each tubular seawall member.  
         [0055]     And it is a further objective of this invention to provide a set of forms in right angle configuration that are rigid to impose straight line disposition of the tubular members until such time as the cement cures and the forms can be removed.  
         [0056]     And it is a further objective that the set of angular forms act as a catch basin and funnel for filling the hollow oval members and the triangular section formed by the thin membrane and the land sidewalls of the oval tubular members.  
         [0057]     And it is a further objective that the set of angular forms act as a catch basin and funnel for filling the hollow oval sections and the triangular sections and is further protected from spills during the filling and leveling operations by a movable waterside catch basin attached and temporarily supported thereby.  
         [0058]     And it is a further objective of this invention that a monolithic concrete structure can be obtained by a making a single pour of cement in the oval tubular members, the triangular section and the cap, formed by the boundaries of the angular cement forms.  
         [0059]     And it is a further objective of this invention to disclose a method of forming all degrees of turns of the sections, on the job site, from plus or minus 90 degrees from the run of the previous section using the above said oval or elliptical seawall members.  
         [0060]     And it is a further objective of this invention to disclose a method of forming all degrees of turns of the tubular seawall member from plus or minus 90 degrees from the run of the previous member with a resultant structural strength greater than the straight run member strength.  
         [0061]     And it is a further objective of this invention to disclose a method of embedding tiebacks at any level through the land side wall of the oval tubular members thereby avoiding protrusions on the water side that suffer the corrosive effects of water exposure, or cause possible damage to a vessel tied along side of the seawall.  
         [0062]     And it is a further objective of this invention to disclose a seawall system with a markedly reduced number of walers and a tie back system, thereby eliminating or greatly reducing the protrusions on the water side of the seawall and providing improved aesthetic value, less corrosive effects to the seawall structure and eliminating possibly damage to water vessels laying along side of the seawall.  
         [0063]     And it is a further objective of this invention to provide a preformed thermoplastic cap that can be deformed to fit over the cured monolithic concrete cap for aesthetic purposes, protection of the concrete cap and protection of any vessel laying along side of the seawall.  
         [0064]     And it is a further objective of this invention to provide a preformed low profile thermoplastic cap and triangular fill pieces that fit over the elliptical seawall ends for aesthetic purposes and protection of any vessel laying along side of the seawall.  
         [0065]     And it is a further objective of this instant invention to disclose a system of non-corrosive interlocking thermoplastic tubular members that when filled with concrete approach the strength of conventional concrete slabs or steel sheet piling while avoiding the detritus effects of salt water erosion and corrosion.  
         [0066]     And it is a further objective of this instant invention to disclose a system of interlocking thermoplastic tubular members that can be easily installed in a body of water, evacuated and filled with cement without additional costly forming or other protection to the cement during curing.  
         [0067]     And it is a further objective of this instant invention to disclose a system of interlocking thermoplastic tubular members that is less costly to install, more durable, less prone to leakage and requires less invasive equipment in sensitive wetland areas than sheet steel, or concrete slab construction.  
         [0068]     And it is a further objective of this instant invention to disclose a system of interlocking thermoplastic tubular members that when installed presents a waterside sinusoidal profile resulting in disruption of the reflected wave action.  
         [0069]     And it is a further objective of this instant invention to disclose a system of interlocking thermoplastic tubular members that can be filled with cement within the hollow tubular members, triangular section and unitizing cap to approach a uniform sectional strength.  
         [0070]     And it is a further objective of this instant invention to disclose a system of interlocking thermoplastic tubular members that can be reinforced with an inexpensive, commercially available structural member preferably a wood product or the like inserted inside the body of the individual tubular members.  
         [0071]     And it is a further objective of this instant invention to disclose a system of interlocking thermoplastic tubular members designed to allow for expansion and contraction of the base material and concrete with out sacrificing the integrity of the joints between the seawall tubular members.  
         [0072]     And it is a further objective of this instant invention to disclose a sacrificial drive tip that, when attached to the lower end of the oval section, displaces the water, mud and dirt of the bottom ground enhancing the integrity of the cement filling by eliminating the need to remove the above foreign matter.  
         [0073]     And it is a further objective of this instant invention to disclose a conical sacrificial jet drive tip with a open end that, when attached to the lower end of the hollow oval tubular member and pressurized with water, displaces the mud and dirt from the path of the seawall tubular member, permitting the seawall tubular member to sink into position with minimum driving assistance, requiring only a pump-out of the water in the seawall chamber prior to cement filling.  
         [0074]     And it is a further objective of this instant invention to disclose a system of interlocking thermoplastic tubular members that, when cut lengthwise and joined with corrosion resistant steel links, forms a semi-flexible concrete mat that can be pulled into place to provide a bearing surface for wheeled traffic.  
         [0075]     In accordance with these and other objects which will become apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)  
       [0076]      FIG. 1  is a side elevation view in partial section of a completed seawall showing the elliptical seawall tubular member, tieback system, drainage system, concrete angular forms and the concrete cap with thermoplastic cover.  
         [0077]      FIG. 1A  is an enlarged elevation view in section of a low profile formed cover.  
         [0078]      FIG. 2  is a top plan section view of two adjacent tubular members of the seawall showing the intersecting ball and socket and inside fin and showing the areas of the poured-in-place concrete.  
         [0079]      FIG. 2A  is a preferred alternate embodiment of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0080]      FIG. 2B  shows an alternate method of stiffening the elliptical seawall tubular members without using a concrete fill.  
         [0081]      FIG. 2C  is a side elevation view of  FIG. 2B  as viewed from upland or landside.  
         [0082]      FIG. 3  is a plan view of the seawall tubular members making turns of up to ±45 degrees one to another.  
         [0083]      FIG. 4  is an example of the use of two cut seawall tubular members connected together to form a reinforced oblique 45 degree or greater turn.  
         [0084]      FIG. 4B through 4E  are top plan views of right angle corners of a seawall using a manufactured 90 degree tubular member.  
         [0085]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of three groin abutments including the positioning of embedded reinforcement rods.  
         [0086]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view of scallop-shaped concrete forms for concrete filling of the tubular members and forming the seawall cap, including a spill catch basin.  
         [0087]      FIG. 6A  is a top plan view of the scallop-shaped concrete forms and tie-bars.  
         [0088]      FIG. 6B  is a side elevation view of  FIG. 6 .  
         [0089]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view comparing the strength and strength/cost ratio of a commercially available steel “Z” section, a reinforced elliptical seawall tubular member and a concrete filled elliptical seawall tubular member.  
         [0090]      FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the commercially available “Z” seawall sections and two concrete filled elliptical seawall tubular members.  
         [0091]      FIG. 9  is a side elevation view of the jet/drive apparatus and enlarged portion thereof for placement of each elliptical seawall tubular member into the ground.  
         [0092]      FIGS. 9A  to  9 C are cross sections through arrows  9 A- 9 A,  9 B- 9 B and  9 C- 9 C of  FIG. 9 .  
         [0093]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a secondary use of a variation of the invention.  
     
    
     LIST OF COMPONENTS  
       [0094]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                  1. 
                 Seawall tubular member 
               
               
                   
                  1′. 
                 Modified seawall tubular member 
               
               
                   
                  1A, 1B, 1C 
                 Alternate seawall tubular members 
               
               
                   
                  1D 
                 Fabricated 135° seawall tubular 
               
               
                   
                   
                 member 
               
               
                   
                  1L, 1P, 1N, 1Q, 1R 
                 Seawall tubular members 
               
               
                   
                  2. 
                 Female end socket 
               
               
                   
                  3. 
                 Male end ball 
               
               
                   
                  4. 
                 Fin 
               
               
                   
                  5. 
                 Fin receiving slot 
               
               
                   
                  5A 
                 Receiving slot 
               
               
                   
                  6. 
                 Joint 
               
               
                   
                  8. 
                 Concrete 
               
               
                   
                  8A 
                 Triangular concrete section 
               
               
                   
                  8A′ 
                 Triangular concrete section 
               
               
                   
                  8A″ 
                 Triangular concrete section 
               
               
                   
                  9. 
                 Plate 
               
               
                   
                  9′. 
                 Plate 
               
               
                   
                  9″. 
                 Plate 
               
               
                   
                  10. 
                 Concrete cap 
               
               
                   
                  11. 
                 Fabricated 90° tubular member 
               
               
                   
                  12. 
                 Sheet metal screw 
               
               
                   
                  13. 
                 Angle plastic 
               
               
                   
                  14. 
                 Extruded 90° tubular member 
               
               
                   
                  17. 
                 Waler 
               
               
                   
                  18. 
                 Male tee end 
               
               
                   
                  19. 
                 Male socket end 
               
               
                   
                  20. 
                 Connection 
               
               
                   
                  21. 
                 Sheet metal screw 
               
               
                   
                  21′. 
                 Sheet metal screw 
               
               
                   
                  22. 
                 Spanner band 
               
               
                   
                  23. 
                 Scallop-like landside form 
               
               
                   
                  24. 
                 Scallop-like waterside form 
               
               
                   
                  26. 
                 PVC cover 
               
               
                   
                  27. 
                 Small PVC cover 
               
               
                   
                  28. 
                 Fill plate 
               
               
                   
                  29. 
                 Wood rebar 
               
               
                   
                  30. 
                 Drainage pipe 
               
               
                   
                  31. 
                 Drainage manifold 
               
               
                   
                  32. 
                 Filter cloth 
               
               
                   
                  33. 
                 Gravel bed 
               
               
                   
                  34. 
                 Upland ground 
               
               
                   
                  35. 
                 Concrete catch basin 
               
               
                   
                  36. 
                 Basin sidewall 
               
               
                   
                  37. 
                 Tab 
               
               
                   
                  38. 
                 Gusset 
               
               
                   
                  39. 
                 Pin 
               
               
                   
                  40. 
                 Tieback rod 
               
               
                   
                  41. 
                 Protective sheath 
               
               
                   
                  42. 
                 Large washer 
               
               
                   
                  43. 
                 Bolts 
               
               
                   
                  44. 
                 Concrete deadman 
               
               
                   
                  45. 
                 Applied force 
               
               
                   
                  47. 
                 Back water plates 
               
               
                   
                  48. 
                 Lag bolt 
               
               
                   
                  49. 
                 Fastener pop rivet 
               
               
                   
                  51. 
                 Splice point backside 
               
               
                   
                  52. 
                 Splice point inside 
               
               
                   
                  57. 
                 Water jet assembly 
               
               
                   
                  58. 
                 Cup 
               
               
                   
                  59. 
                 Length adjust 
               
               
                   
                  60. 
                 Water inlet 
               
               
                   
                  61. 
                 Height adjustment rod 
               
               
                   
                  62. 
                 Bell 
               
               
                   
                  63. 
                 Clearance 
               
               
                   
                  64. 
                 Socket wash 
               
               
                   
                  67. 
                 Centering pins 
               
               
                   
                  68. 
                 Thumb screw 
               
               
                   
                  69. 
                 Drive well 
               
               
                   
                  70. 
                 Jettable drive tip assembly 
               
               
                   
                  71. 
                 Water channel 
               
               
                   
                  72. 
                 Glue band 
               
               
                   
                  73. 
                 Concrete cone 
               
               
                   
                  74. 
                 Drive tip assembly 
               
               
                   
                  75. 
                 Check valve 
               
               
                   
                  76. 
                 Tie bolt 
               
               
                   
                  77. 
                 Hex nut 
               
               
                   
                  78. 
                 Washer 
               
               
                   
                  79. 
                 Reinforcement bar 
               
               
                   
                  80. 
                 Single row jetty or groin 
               
               
                   
                  81. 
                 Double row jetty or groin 
               
               
                   
                  82. 
                 Single row jetty or groin 
               
               
                   
                  83. 
                 Threaded reinforcement 
               
               
                   
                  84. 
                 Tubular member interior 
               
               
                   
                  86. 
                 Interior of bell 
               
               
                   
                  88. 
                 Leading edge of tubular member 
               
               
                   
                  90. 
                 Support 
               
               
                   
                  90′. 
                 Support 
               
               
                   
                  91. 
                 Conventional seawall section 
               
               
                   
                  92. 
                 Tubular member w/wood 
               
               
                   
                   
                 reinforcement 
               
               
                   
                  93. 
                 Tubular member w/concrete fill 
               
               
                   
                  94. 
                 Load distribution 
               
               
                   
                 100. 
                 Boat ramp 
               
               
                   
                 101. 
                 Link bar 
               
               
                   
                 102. 
                 Nut 
               
               
                   
                 105. 
                 End plate 
               
               
                   
                 106. 
                 Cut edge 
               
               
                   
                 107. 
                 Tie rod bolts 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0095]     Referring now to the drawings and particularly to  FIG. 1 , an elliptical tubular member  1  provides support for the upland grounds  34  with a pass through drainage pipe  30  in fluid communication with a commercially available perforated drainage manifold  31 . Conventional filter cloth  32  is normally used to limit solids from entering the perforated drainage manifold  31  and a gravel bed  33  increases the effective drainage area.  
         [0096]     Also shown in  FIG. 1  is a typical tieback system including a tie rod  40  having a protective non-corrosive sheath  41  such as plastic pipe or shrink sleeving. Tie rod  40  is typically embedded within a poured concrete block  44  or dead man at one end in the upland  34  and, at the other end within the monolithic concrete fill  8  in the tubular member  1  as best seen in  FIG. 1A . The tie rod  40  may be threaded on one or both ends to accommodate a large diameter washer or metal plate  42  and one or more common hex nuts  43  and  43 ′. An advantage of this seawall system is that there are no protrusions of the tie back system that extend through the waterside wall of any of the elliptical tubular members  1  which could damage a boat tied along side of the seawall or accelerate corrosion.  
         [0097]     The elliptical seawall tubular members  1  are shown with the scallop-like concrete forms  23  and  24  in place and held in position with common sheet metal screws  21  and  21 ′ and further held in parallel alignment by a metal spanner band  22 . With these temporary concrete forms  23  and  24  and spanner band  22  in place, a virtual funnel is formed for the cement pour defined by the side walls of concrete forms  23  and  24 . During the pour and while the concrete is leveled to the top of the forms  23  and  24 , an angular sheet metal catch basin  35  is placed alongside and pin  39  protrudes downwardly through, and is supported by, the waterside concrete form  24  at receiver tab  37  and gusset  38 . The catch basin  35  is moved along the form  24  as the cement pour progresses along the seawall.  
         [0098]     These temporary concrete forms  23  and  24  and spanner band  22  are removed after the monolithic concrete  8  has cured sufficiently to be self supporting by pulling the metal spanner band  22  upward until the ends clear both of form  23  and  24 . The fasteners  21  and  21 ′ are then removed, permitting the forms  23  and  24  to be removed exposing a concrete cap  10 .  
         [0099]     The concrete cap  10  that extends the length of the seawall can be protected with a cover  26  preferably formed of extruded thermoplastic material. This cover  26  can be deformed and snapped into place to provide protection to the concrete cap  10  structure. It is aesthetically pleasing, and presents a significantly less abrasive surface to any water vessel lying along side of the seawall structure. Anchor screws (not shown) can be used to assure that the cover  26  remains in position.  
         [0100]      FIG. 1  also shows the jettable drive tip generally at  70  with glue band  72  and a longitudinal water channel  71 . The drive tip  70  is glued to the inside bottom of tubular member  1  to promote an even distribution of water to displace sand, mud and sediment by pressure water injected into the top of the tubular member and exiting through the water channel  71 . The jettable concrete drive tip  70  is expendable. A like closed end drive tip  74  can also be employed that requires forcible driving methods rather than jetted water for ground penetration wherein the concrete tip  74  is solid.  
         [0101]      FIG. 2  shows two of the elliptical seawall tubular members  1  connected together and including the monolithic concrete fill  8 , the longitudinally extending female socket  2 , the male ball protrusion  3 , the fin extension  4  and the fin receiving slot  5 . The monolithic concrete fill  8  is defined by the interior surface of each seawall tubular member  1  and the triangular section  8 A that is defined by the arcuate facing landside facing surfaces of the exterior body of the elliptical seawall sections  1  and fin  4 . Concrete fill in triangular section  8 A both strengthens and provides additional leakage protection at joint  6 , as well as providing a more uniform bending strength over the profile of the seawall by adding concrete section  8 A in the weakest area of the seawall.  
         [0102]      FIG. 2A  is an alternative and preferred embodiment of the elliptical seawall tubular members  1 A. The fin  4  shown in  FIG. 2  is replaced with a separate metal or thermoplastic plate  9  and a second receiving slot  5 A, the plate  9  being driven into position reducing the cost of the elliptical seawall tubular members  1 A and  1 B. Both embodiments in  FIGS. 2 and 2 A yield the desired and equal utilitarian result.  
         [0103]     Referring now to  FIGS. 2B and 2C , an alternate embodiment of stiffening and further waterproofing the elliptical seawall tubular member junctions is there shown. Rather than using the concrete fill method previously described, molded elongated plastic fill plates  28  are positioned within the narrowing section widths between each of the tubular members  1 . These fill plates  28  are held in position by adhesive means and further, on the landside thereof, by backwater plates  47  which are held in place by lag bolts  48  threadably engaged into wooden rebars  28  which are generally coextensive with the tubular members  1 .  
         [0104]     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , inside and outside 45° curves using standard elliptical seawall tubular members  1  are there shown. Seawall tubular member  1 B may be rotated up to 45° degrees from tubular member  1 A by enlarging the female socket  2  in tubular member  1 A. This enlargement can be made by simply running a circular saw lengthwise along the female socket  2  on the upland side thereof to remove excess interfering material. After installation of elliptical seawall tubular members  1 A and  1 B, a metal or plastic plate  9 ′ is then flexed and pushed down between receiving slot  5  of section  1 B and the backside of slat  5  of section  1 A. After pushing the lower end of plate  9 ′ completely downwardly into the bottom ground, the concrete form assembly is completed by fastening with a common sheet metal screw  12  near the upper end thereof into the land side of section  1 A in the vicinity of receiving slot  5  as shown to prevent leakage of cement  8 A′ during the filling process.  
         [0105]     Tubular member  1 C may also be rotated up to 45° in the opposite from that of tubular member  1 B by cuttingly enlarging the female socket  2  in tubular member  1 B as above described. Another metal or plastic plate  9 ″ is then flexed and forced downwardly under receiving slot  5  of tubular member  1 C and simultaneously under receiving slot  5 A of tubular member  1 B to form the triangular concrete fill section  8 A between elliptical seawall tubular members  1 B and  1 C.  
         [0106]      FIG. 4  discloses fabricating inside and outside turns of up to 90 degrees using a flat template set (not shown). By using two overlapping templates (not shown) and positioning the first aligned over one of the seawall tubular members  1 D and then rotating the second template in the desired new seawall direction and then marking both tubular members at  51 A and  52 A lengthwise cuts on both tubular members  1 D and  1 E are made to obtain the desired direction change. The first seawall section  1 D will provide the male extension  3  and the second seawall section  1 E will provide the female socket  2 . The cut tubular member portions  1 D and  1 E may then be joined by using a metal or plastic sheet  9  such as describe previously, to overlap inside the body sections of both pieces and to receive conventional stainless steel rivets  49 .  
         [0107]     The above turn disclosed in  FIG. 4  may easily range between 45° to 90° and made on the job site. However, for the more usual 90° or right angle turns, the manufacturer may extrude the shape of the more usual 90° turn  14  as shown in  FIG. 4B ,  FIG. 4D  and  FIG. 4E  or provide a factory pre-assembled 90° turn  11  as shown in  FIG. 4C . Both manufactured turns can be turned end for end to produce either an inside 90° turn  11  or  14  as shown in  FIG. 4B  and  FIG. 4C  or a 90° outside turn shown in  FIGS. 4D and 4E .  
         [0108]     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a seawall installation may require a groin or jetty extension of the seawall into the waterside installed at an approximate 90 degrees to the run of the conventional seawall. The seawall generally defines the margin or boundary between the water and the upland grounds. The “groin” serves in most cases to protect any ground or bottom from erosion, while a jetty protects a channel from erosive currents parallel to the seawall. In cases where a groin or jetty is attached to the conventional seawall is disclosed in  FIG. 5 . Three types of groins or jetties and the attachment to the elliptical seawall tubular members  1  are there shown as a double run  81 , single run  82  or single run with conventional waler ties  80 . Each is shown attached to the previously disclosed elliptical seawall tubular members  1 .  
         [0109]     It is an object of this invention to produce a seawall section that is many times stronger than the conventional polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or fiberglass reinforced plastic tubular members, easier to install and more aesthetically pleasing than concrete, and both stronger and longer lasting than wood. Because of this, strength advantage is usually not required to have reinforcement walers  17  as shown in  80 . However, if walers  17  are used, conventional corrosion resistance tie bolts  76  with nuts  77  and washers  78  must be used to hold the walers  17  in position. Reinforcement bars  79  buried in concrete provide the tie to the seawall. It is preferable to use a fiberglass-reinforced material for the reinforcement bars  79 . The groin shown at  82  is an acceptable structure in low to moderate wash areas, while the double run shown at  81  is a preferred choice in areas where the rip currents are higher or with a higher exposed height above the bottom ground.  
         [0110]     An even stronger free-standing groin (not shown) can be achieved by driving the tubular members at a slight angle, with only the top of the elliptical seawall sections in contact. In this type installation the fiberglass reinforcement bars  79  should be replaced with a corrosion resistance thread stock  84  shown at  83  with two sets of nuts  77  and washers  78 .  
         [0111]     Turning now to  FIGS. 6, 6A , and  6 B, reusable concrete forms  23  and  24  shown in use in  FIG. 1  are further detailed. In  FIG. 6 , the waterside forms  24  with tabs  37  supporting the cement catch basin  35  are shown. The landside form  23  is shown on the opposite side of the seawall tubular members  1  and the spanner bands  22  span the seawall tubular members  1  to the outside wall of both landside and waterside forms  23  and  24 . Note that these forms  23  and  24  act to hold the tops of the seawall tubular members in alignment as well as to form a funnel to direct the poured concrete  8  into the bodies of the seawall  1  and the triangular areas shown as  8 A. By continuing to fill the area between the forms  23  and  24  and then leveling the top surface, the concrete cap  10  is formed, thereby resulting in a monolithic concrete pour that is both stronger and less expensive to install.  
         [0112]      FIG. 6A  also shows a plan view of the waterside form  24  with attached tabs  37 , concrete catch basin pin  39 , landside form  23  and the spanner bands  22 .  FIG. 6B  shows the landside and waterside forms  23  and  24  with spanner bands  22  in place over the seawall tubular members  1 .  
         [0113]     The overwhelming advantage of this seawall system is the combination of the cost/strength ratio of concrete to the aesthetic and utilitarian value of the thermoplastic connectable form. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the relative strength of a conventional PVC or fiberglass seawall section  91  is compared to like width and length seawall tubular members  1  having either a wood reinforcement  92  or strong back and a concrete fill  93 , and being supported at two knife edge supports  90  and  90 ′. The downward applied force created by a uniformly increasing load  94  on a conventional seawall section  91 , the downward applied force created by a uniformly increasing load  95  on the wood reinforced tubular members  92 , and the downward applied force created by a uniformity increasing load  96  on the concrete reinforced tubular members  93  are shown as triangles representing the relative force distribution. The size of the load triangles represents the relative total force that can be applied to each system to produce a standard deflection. In this example the elliptical seawall tubular members  92  with wood reinforcement  29  nearly 4 times the strength of the conventional “Z” section  91  and the concrete filled tubular member  93  within concrete fill  8  are shown to support twenty four times the load of the thermoplastic “Z” type section  91 , with the use of only 17 percent additional plastic material.  
         [0114]     The cost of the concrete is negligible compared to the cost of wood reinforcement (waler) and additional tiebacks used to achieve a seawall system that is designed for only half the strength of the installed elliptical seawall tubular members and monolithic cap shown in  FIG. 1 . Also shown in  FIG. 7  are the relative strength to cost ratios shown as blocks  97 ,  98  and  99 . Referenced to the cost to strength ratio of the concrete filled elliptical seawall tubular member  93 , the conventional “Z” section  91  is nearly 20 times more expensive. The wood reinforced tubular member  92  is nearly 5 times as costly as the concrete filled tubular member  93  on a strength to cost basis.  
         [0115]      FIG. 8  is a plan view of the prior art metal or fiberglass “Z” section of seawall  91  having interlocking edge or side margins  18  and  19  which lockingly engage together along  20 , alongside two seawall tubular members  1  as previously described joined along  6  and including the concrete fill  8 . This drawing further demonstrates the advantage of using a concrete filled tubular member to achieve a favorable strength/cost ratio. Load is the direction of load applied to the seawall, showing how this load deflects the weak joint of  20  versus the reinforced joint of  6 .  
         [0116]     A preferred driving or installation method is disclosed in  FIGS. 9, 9A ,  9 B and  9 C. The same resistance to bending that is demonstrated by an elliptical design versus the flat design shown in  FIG. 8  is utilized to assure that each seawall tubular member  1  will not “lead off” from it&#39;s initiated direction. A water injection jet  60  utilizes an inside bell  62  to direct a jet of wash water A downwardly to the leading edge  88  of the elliptical seawall tubular member through a narrow but uniform chamber or water passage  63  between the bell  62 , and the seawall section  1  as best seen in  FIGS. 9B and 9C .  
         [0117]     The water jet A is first divided and forced into a socket wash  64  which maintains a water wash downwardly through the interior of the hollow ball  3  which discharges in the direction of arrow F. The bulk of the water discharges initially into the hollow interior  84  of the tubular member  1  in the direction of C and then downwardly within the narrow channel or water passage  63  as best seen in  FIGS. 9B and 9C  formed between the interior surface of the tubular member  1  and the outer surface of a mating inside bell  62  which formed having the outer surface thereof substantially similar to that of the interior surface of the tubular member  1 . The water then flows downwardly within this circumferential water chamber  63  and discharges in the direction of arrow D as seen in  FIG. 9 . This uniform chamber  63  is maintained by a minimum of six small pins  67 . The seawall tubular member thus sinks into the bottom ground facilitated by the rapid water discharge flow at D. The weight and extension of the bell  62  below the leading edge  88  of the seawall tubular member  1  is supported and set by a threaded height adjustment rod  61  threadably engaged into a collar  59  and secured by a thumbscrew  68 . A cap assembly  57  is fastened to the upper end of the seawall tubular member  1  by common sheet metal screws  12  and supports the water injection pipe  60 , the adjustment collar  59  and the joint clean-out nozzle  64 . Again, the nozzle  64  injects water into the hollow center of the male ball protrusion  3  of the seawall tubular member  1 , thus cleaning the slot of the previously driven seawall section as the male ball protrusion of the instant seawall tubular member  1  moves down the female open slot  2  of the previously driven seawall tubular member.  
         [0118]     An auxiliary drive feature is also provided to assist the sinking of the seawall section  1  into the bottom ground. An impact cylinder  58  which fits into a drive well  69  is used as a land for a small sledge hammer (not shown). A small commercial electric or pneumatic hammer (not shown) may also be used against impact cylinder  58  to drive the tubular member  1 .  
         [0119]     The seawall tubular members  1  may also be modified as shown in  FIG. 10  to provide a concrete boat ramp  100  or the like that can be assembled near the point of use and pulled into position.  FIG. 10  discloses the method of modifying the elliptical seawall tubular members  1  by cutting each section along a plane originating at, and extending between, edges  106  and  106 ′ of end plates  105 . The modified seawall tubular members  1 ′ are then bolted loosely together using tie rod bolts  107 , stainless steel link bars  101  and hex nuts  102 . The end plates  105  are then slipped into place and the cement  8  is add into the modified tubular members  1 ′. After the concrete cures, the end plates  105  are removed and reused. After tightening the nuts  102 , the ramp  100  may now be dragged into place as a removable mat or boat ramp.  
         [0120]     While the instant invention has been shown and described herein in what are conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention which is therefore not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be afforded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent apparatus and articles.