Brainstormed Ideas
We believe that a curved wall with a mound wall in front of it will most effective in preventing damage to Lower Manhattan in the future. A mound wall is less expensive, but does not withstand damage as well as a curved wall. Any wall will have points that are slowly worn down over time, leading to its collapse. The mound wall can be built in front of these points and then replaced when it is destroyed, giving up its life to keep the more expensive wall up. This will save money over time, as well as keep the residents of Lower Manhattan safer by preventing a situation in which the only form of defense against waves collapses. We have therefore decided to build a curved wall and a mound wall.
Idea Evaluation
No matter what type of wall, it will be expensive to construct. This design will be cost-effective compared to other options. It will require maintenance, as the force of waves repeatedly hitting the same points will cause it to break down, but the maintenance will be less expensive than the maintenance of a curved wall, because the mound wall will be cheaper to replace. It will be safer than a mound wall, because even if the weaker mound wall breaks down, the curved wall will still stand, and it will be as strong as it was when it was built, because it will have been shielded from erosion by the mound wall. Although expensive, we believe it will be possible to construct.
We also have to confront the fact that over an extended period of time, repairing a curved wall once will most likely be less expensive than repeatedly repairing multiple mound walls. However, a curved wall that constantly undergoes erosion from waves will be more likely to collapse in the case of a natural disaster. We have decided to prioritize people's lives over cost effectiveness.
We also have to confront the fact that over an extended period of time, repairing a curved wall once will most likely be less expensive than repeatedly repairing multiple mound walls. However, a curved wall that constantly undergoes erosion from waves will be more likely to collapse in the case of a natural disaster. We have decided to prioritize people's lives over cost effectiveness.
Improvements
One mound wall would not allow water to drain easily, so we have designed two lines of mound walls in alternating positions. This design takes into consideration the draining of water.