Instrumentation and prototype measurements at the Zeebrugge rubble mound breakwater

Abstract

The prototype monitoring system at Zeebrugge (Belgium), instrumented for the acquisition of field data on waves interacting with a rubble mound breakwater, is presented. To date, the monitoring system has been successfully put into operation and the acquired field data used for the calibration of physical and numerical models. The instrumentation and the data acquisition sections of the monitoring system are described. Experience of more than ten years is made available to those who deal with instrumentation in harsh maritime conditions. Two instrumentation systems are presented in more detail: pore pressure sensors for the measurement of internal pore pressures and stepgauges for the measurement of the wave run-up and run-down. Algorithms used for analysis of acquired field data are included.