Experimental study of dam-break-like tsunami loads on vertical structures with overhanging horizontal slabs: Slab with air chamber

Abstract

Tsunamis pose a significant threat to coastal engineering. A comprehensive physical experiment was conducted to examine the effect of air chambers on vertical structures with overhanging horizontal slabs under tsunami bores. This paper, serving as the second part of the series, contrasts with conditions without air chambers (flat slab as Part I) to underscore the chamber's effects. The experiment employed dam-break waves to simulate tsunamis, and the collected pressure data and experimental images were analyzed. Results show that the chambers restrict water flow, thereby enhancing the impact on the slab. This focusing effect greatly increases both maximum uplift and horizontal pressure (by almost 1.3 times). The uplift pressure rises with increasing chamber volume, while horizontal pressure escalates with greater beam volume. However, both pressures diminish as slab height increases. Water flowing into the chambers disperses air, generating numerous bubbles that accumulate above, forming an air layer that reduces pressure signal fluctuations. This phenomenon of entrained and trapped air is compared and analyzed with existing literature. The maximum pressure of the nearshore air chamber is greater than that of the offshore air chamber by 13% (3.68 kPa vs. 3.27 kPa), while the quasi-steady pressures of the two are almost equal. Differences in pressure between chambers result from the sequence of water flow impacts and reflections. New design envelope equations and conversion coefficients are proposed based on experimental data. The focusing coefficient, considering bore height, slab height, and chamber parameters, is summarized. Novel equations for estimating pressure on a flat slab with specific chambers are proposed, with validation results indicating high accuracy.