Abstract:
A breakwater is designed to dissipate wave energy with due attention focused on
hydraulic, geotechnical and structural stability. The use of physical models is the principal
method for investigating experimentally the performance of breakwaters. Research on the
design and construction of breakwaters has led to the development of new concepts and
further examination of alternative design practices. One such alternative is the use of the
berm breakwaters. In berm breakwaters, the hydraulics of wave structure interaction plays
a vital role in the dissipation of wave energy. It is therefore evident that a detailed
investigation of this subject using a large scale hydraulic model would provide
information leading to improved design with respect to hydraulic efficiency and
minimization of costs. The investigation was designed to obtain a complete profile of the
energy dissipation characteristics of the structure, including damping of waves along the
berm and its full structure.
