Wave-induced seabed instability in front of a breakwater

The wave-induced soil response in a porous seabed has become an important factor for the stability of offshore facilities, because many marine structures may have failed due to seabed instability and concomitant subsidence. An analytical solution is presented for the wave-induced soil response under the action of a three-dimensional wave system. Based on this general solution, the mechanism of seabed instability is then investigated. The general solutions for pore pressure and effective stresses are readily reducible to two dimensions for progressive waves, and are compared to theoretical and experimental work available. Some dominant factors affecting the wave-induced seabed instability are discussed; including permeability, seabed thickness and degree of saturation.