A highly wave dissipation offshore breakwater

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to develop an offshore breakwater, for which coefficients of both the wave reflection and transmission have low values. The breakwater is suggested to compose of n layers of porous materials with different porosities. A complex eigen function method is used in the theoretical analysis. Continuities of both mass flux and fluid pressure are assumed at interfaces between every two adjoining porous materials and at the interface between end materials and water region. Following a series of mathematical processes, the coefficients of the wave transmission and reflection along with the wave energy loss are calculated. The porosity of materials is varied in computations; and results are compared among structures composing of different layers of porous materials. A single layer offshore breakwater is shown to reduce simultaneously the coefficients of transmission and reflection only when the structure is very wide in the direction of wave propagation, and the structure material has a high porosity. A multilayer breakwater, however, can function well in reducing both coefficients at a much narrower width; structure having more layers can be more effective at narrower width. Finally, several experiments are conducted; theoretical computations and experimental results agree well.