Wave interaction with multiple thin flexible porous barriers in water of uniform finite depth

Abstract

The interaction of water waves with multiple flexible porous barriers partially immersed in a uniform finite-depth fluid is investigated in the present study. Using linear theory, the physical problem is mathematically modeled as a boundary value problem. The eigenfunction expansion approach is used to generate the velocity potential function in terms of orthogonal eigenfunctions. The Havelock’s inversion formula is then used to convert the boundary value problem into a set of Fredholm-type integral equations. By choosing a suitable weight function, the multi-term Galerkin’s approximation technique is used to obtain the mathematical solutions of these integral equations in terms of the Chebyshev polynomial. Numerical solutions regarding the reflection and transmission coefficients, hydrodynamic forces, and dissipated wave energy at the barriers are obtained and graphically represented in several figures for various non-dimensional parameters. It is observed from the graphical representations that the permeability and flexibility of the barriers play a crucial role in the modeling of efficient breakwaters.