Author(s): Gary L. Howell; Jeffrey A. Melby

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Abstract: Safe design of breakwater concrete armor units requires design values for the maximum stress which will occur in the prototype. Traditional structural analysis techniques require deterministic definitions of boundary conditions and loads. Random placement of units results in random boundary conditions and random static loads. Forces due to waves are random due to the distribution of wave heights and the random drag profiles of the units. Estimation of stresses due to unit motion and the resulting impact forces requires stochastic methods. Using statistical analysis of stresses in dolos armor units measured at prototype scale at Crescent City, California, stochastic models have been developed which describe the observed response. The static, wave force, and impact loads are separate, but dependent populations. Techniques to combine the estimates into a single design stress probability distribution are demonstrated. With a combined exceedance probability distribution function and a design safety factor, the designer can estimate a single design stress value for input to traditional structural design procedures. The stochastic methods may be applied as easily as design Formulas when implemented on a desktop computer.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00221689109498960

Year: 1991