Hydrodynamic performance of a vertical slotted breakwater

Abstract

The wave interaction problem with a vertical slotted breakwater, consisting of impermeable upper, lower parts and a permeable middle part, has been studied theoretically. An analytical model was presented for the estimation of reflection and transmission of monochromatic waves by a slotted breakwater. The far-field solution of the wave scattering involving nonlinear porous boundary condition was obtained using eigenfunction expansion method. The empirical formula for drag coefficient in the near-field, representing energy dissipation across the slotted barrier, was determined by curve fitting of the numerical solutions of 2-D channel flow using CFD code StarCCM+. The theoretical model was validated with laboratory experiments for various configurations of a slotted barrier. It showed that the developed analytical model can correctly predict the energy dissipation caused by turbulent eddies due to sudden contraction and expansion of a slotted barrier. The present paper provides a synergetic approach of the analytical and numerical modelling with minimum CPU time, for better estimation of the hydrodynamic performance of slotted breakwater.