Author(s): Hee Min Teh, Syed Shuja Ul Hassan, Thinagran Silavaraj
Linked Author(s): Hee Min Teh
Keywords: Free surface breakwater, wave attenuation, wave reflection, energy dissipation.
Abstract: Design optimization of free surface breakwaters for maximum wave protection has been the research venture of many scientists. The majority of these breakwaters are designed to be good wave reflectors that may pose some undesirable sea conditions in front of the structure. This research aims at investigating hydraulic performance of a fixed free surface H-type breakwater (FSHB) exposed to regular wave action via a large-scale physical modelling. The FSHB is inherited with an exclusive feature for improved wave suppression ability through energy dissipation. A series of experiments are conducted in a wave flume to investigate wave transmission, reflection and energy dissipation characteristics of the breakwater with respect to wave steepness Hi/L, relative breakwater width B/L and relative breakwater draft D/d. The experimental results shows that the FSHB is a good wave reflector at 0. 2 B/L 0. 3, and an efficient energy dissipater at B/L > 0. 3. The breakwater suppresses 50% of the incident wave heights when designed at B/L > 0. 3. Apart from B/L, the hydraulic efficiency of the breakwater is also subject to the effect of immersion depth; however, the influence of wave steepness to the breakwater performance is rather weak
Year: 2017