The need for breakwaters adequate to render waves up to 6 feet high harmless led PND to develop, through wave tank testing, a safe reflector structure. Previously similar wave fences had been used and tested, but through research, PND found that for varying reasons these barriers were not totally effective. The first permeable wave barrier of PND design was successfully installed at a U.S. Coast Guard facility in Oregon in 1980. Continued contact with facility users has verified the breakwater’s endurance, even in severe storm events. As it was environmentally desirable to allow for circulation and fish passage, the newly developed breakwater did not extend completely to the ocean bottom; hence the term "permeable wave barrier."

The use of a permeable wave barrier and marine dolphins necessitates incorporation of high-capacity tension piles into design. This requirement led to yet another PND research and development project, the SPIN FIN® pile. In light of the pending "No Net Loss" regulation, government agencies have recently expressed interest in the system. This may encourage additional model studies of the permeable wave barrier.