Date of Award

5-2000

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences

First Advisor

Lee E. Harris

Second Advisor

William R. Dally

Third Advisor

Eric Thoseson

Fourth Advisor

Edward H. Kalajian

Abstract

Increasing interest in utilizing submerged breakwaters and artificial reefs for shoreline stabilization requires accurate models and relationships for predicting wave attenuation. The objective of this paper is to develop an empirical model as an improvement to existing wave transmission models. This will provide the required design criteria for use in future submerged breakwater designs. An extensive study of existing literature on submerged breakwaters and associated wave attenuation was performed, followed by a detailed statistical analysis of existing data sets to determine an alternate model for the wave transmission coefficient. A total of five data sets from physical model studies were combined and analyzed: Seelig (1980), Daemrich and Kahle (1985), Van der Meer (1988), Daemen (1991), and Seabrook (1997). The results of this study confirm that the transmission coefficient is highly dependent upon the dimensionless ratio of the freeboard to the incident wave height. The significance of other dimensionless variables in the model in order of decreasing significance were the ratios of structure crest width to water depth, structure height to water depth, crest width to wavelength, and freeboard to crest width. These variables are believed to accurately represent the dominating physical processes associated with the wave transmission process. The model developed by this study was determined to be the ‘best fit’ model. The model is recommended for use as an engineering aid for preliminary design of submerged breakwaters.

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