Experimental study on the hydrodynamic performance of rectangular floating breakwater influenced by reef areas

Abstract

In this paper, series of experimental studies under regular wave actions to investigate the hydrodynamic performance of the rectangular floating breakwater (FB) affected by reefs with different slopes were carried out in a wave flume. The wave transmission coefficients, motion responses and mooring forces can be calculated on the basis of the data obtained from the experiments. A comparative experiment of the only rectangular FB is also conducted. The experimental results reveal that the rectangular FB with different reefs can make more positive effects on wave energy dissipation than that of the only rectangular FB, especially for short-period waves. The characteristics of three degrees of freedom of the rectangular FB affected by reefs are also observed, which can be used to further explain the variation tendency appeared in transmission coefficients. The roll motion of the FB influenced by reefs is intenser than that of the only FB and the changes of slopes have limited effects on the sway motion of the FB. Furthermore, the heave motion of the only rectangular FB is intenser than that of the FB affected by reefs for short-period waves and vice versa for long-period waves.