Abstract
The objective of this research is to analyze the interaction of the incident wave train with a mound breakwater (specifically, dissipation in the armor layer) and to quantify the performance of the structure built with different types and sizes of armor units. The generalized Π -Buckingham theorem is invoked to choose a complete set of independent variables that govern the principal interaction processes. The analysis is based on two sets of experimental data obtained in the wave flume of IISTA, University of Granada, and in the wave flume of Aalborg University. The bulk dissipation depends on the product of the relative water depth and the incident wave steepness, (h/L)(HI/L), the relative size of the armor diameter, Da/HI, the relative thickness, e/L, the shape and specific placement criterion, the characteristics of the porous core, B*/L, D50,p/L, and the slope angle of the breakwater. For a given breakwater, the product of (h/L)(HI/L) can be used to identify and quantify three hydrodynamic performance regimes: reflective, dissipative and transitional, based on the prevalent interaction processes. Moreover, the dimensional analysis provides a functional relationship between the stability parameter and the bulk dissipation. For two mound breakwaters, one built with cubes of Da=49.6 mm and the other one with rocks of Da=44.0 mm, the bulk dissipation is almost similar over the entire range of (h/L)(HI/L). These results could be useful for the assimilation of data obtained in different wave flumes, the optimization of the breakwater design and to revise the notional permeability parameter.
Highlights
The main function of breakwaters is to protect harbors and coastal structures from wave action
The main objective of this research is to analyze the dissipation process due to the interaction of the incident wave train with the main armor layer, and to quantify the performance between mound breakwaters built with different types and sizes of armor units
The physical model tested was a conventional double armor layer mound breakwater with two different armor units, rocks and cubes, with a porous core built with fine gravel
Summary
The main function of breakwaters is to protect harbors and coastal structures from wave action. The energy dissipation of a wave train on a breakwater slope is mainly caused by the transport of turbulence during the following processes: (i) wave evolution and, eventually, wave-breaking on the free surface of the slope; (ii) circulation and friction with the main armor layer; and (iii) wave propagation through the secondary layers and porous core. In the last two decades, numerical predictions of the wave-breaking on a smooth and impermeable slope have been published using different numerical techniques [4,5,6,7,8,9] These results provide detailed information on the transport of turbulent kinetic energy due to the interaction process of the wave train with the slope. For applied maritime engineering the equivalent hypothesis of Lorentz provides satisfactory results of the wave energy dissipation [13,14]
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