Laboratory experiments for wave motions and turbulence flows in front of a breakwater

Abstract

In this paper, laboratory data for free surface displacements and velocity fields in front of a caisson breakwater covered with wave-dissipating blocks, together with wave pressures acting on the caisson, are presented and discussed. The core of the breakwater is made of a concrete caisson with a vertical front wall. The caisson is protected by a thick layer of tetrapods and is supported by a rubble mound. The breakwater is placed on the 1/25 impermeable slope. Two types of incident waves are used in the experiments: nonbreaking waves and spilling-type breaking waves. In the breaking wave case, the incident wave breaks offshore before it reaches the breakwater. The velocity data are obtained by using both the Laser Doppler Velocimeter (LDV) and the Electromagnetic Current Meter (EMCM). The raw data are analyzed using a numerical-filtering scheme so that turbulent fluctuations are separated from the phase-dependent wave motions. The vertical profiles of the time-averaged (over a wave period) turbulent velocity components at several vertical cross-sections in front of the breakwater are then analyzed. The spatial variations of the time-averaged turbulence velocity suggest that turbulence is generated inside the protective armor layer and transported into the flow region in front of the breakwater. The wave pressures on the vertical face and on the bottom of the caisson are also reported.