Experiments on wave transmission coefficients of floating breakwaters

To find a simple, inexpensive, and effective type of floating breakwater for deep-sea aquaculture, we studied three types of structures: the single box, the double box, and the board net. We conducted two-dimensional physical model tests in a wave-current flume in the laboratory to measure the wave transmission coefficients of the three types of breakwaters under regular waves with or without currents. Based on the initial comparison of the wave transmission coefficients, we proposed the use of the board-net floating breakwater for use with fish cages; we then conducted detailed experiments to examine how wave transmission coefficients are affected by several factors, including the width of the board, the row number of the net, the rigidity of the board, and the current velocity. The experimental results show that the board-net floating breakwater, which is a simple and inexpensive type of structure, can effectively protect fish and fish cages and may be adopted for aquaculture engineering in deep-water regions.     

Real time wave forecasting using neural networks

Forecasting of ocean wave heights, with warning time of a few hours or days, is necessary in planning many operation-related activities in the ocean. Such information is currently derived by numerically solving the differential equation representing wave energy balance. The solution procedure involved is extremely complex and calls for very large amounts of meteorological and oceanographic data. This paper presents a complementary and simple method to make a point forecast of waves in real time sense based on the current observation of waves at a site. It incorporates the technique of neural networks. The network involved is first trained by different algorithms and then used to forecast waves with lead times varying from 3 to 24 h. The results of different training algorithms are compared with each other. The neural output is further compared with the statistical AR models.     

Ocean wave forecasting using recurrent neural networks

The tremendous increase in offshore operational activities demands improved wave forecasting techniques. With the knowledge of accurate wave conditions, it is possible to carry out the marine activities such as offshore drilling, naval operations, merchant vessel routing, nearshore construction, etc. more efficiently and safely. This paper describes an artificial neural network, namely recurrent neural network with rprop update algorithm and is applied for wave forecasting. Measured ocean waves off Marmugao, west coast of India are used for this study. Here, the recurrent neural network of 3, 6 and 12 hourly wave forecasting yields the correlation coefficients of 0.95, 0.90 and 0.87, respectively. This shows that the wave forecasting using recurrent neural network yields better results than the previous neural network application.     

Real time wave forecasting using neural networks

Forecasting of ocean wave heights, with warning time of a few hours or days, is necessary in planning many operation-related activities in the ocean. Such information is currently derived by numerically solving the differential equation representing wave energy balance. The solution procedure involved is extremely complex and calls for very large amounts of meteorological and oceanographic data. This paper presents a complementary and simple method to make a point forecast of waves in real time sense based on the current observation of waves at a site. It incorporates the technique of neural networks. The network involved is first trained by different algorithms and then used to forecast waves with lead times varying from 3 to 24 h. The results of different training algorithms are compared with each other. The neural output is further compared with the statistical AR models.     

2-D numerical analysis of near-field flow at low-crested permeable breakwaters

This paper describes the capability of a numerical model named COrnell BReaking waves And Structures (COBRAS) [Lin, P., Liu, P.L.-F., 1998. A numerical study of breaking waves in the surf zone. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 359, 239–264; Liu, P.L.-F., Lin, P., Chang, K.A., Sakakiyama, T., 1999. Numerical modeling of wave interaction with porous structures. Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal and Ocean Engineering 125, 322–330, Liu, P.L.-F., Lin, P., Hsu, T., Chang, K., Losada, I.J., Vidal, C., Sakakiyama, T., 2000. A Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes equation model for nonlinear water wave and structure interactions. Proc. Coastal Structures '99, 169–174] based on the Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations to simulate the most relevant hydrodynamic near-field processes that take place in the interaction between waves and low-crested breakwaters. The model considers wave reflection, transmission, overtopping and breaking due to transient nonlinear waves including turbulence in the fluid domain and in the permeable regions for any kind of geometry and number of layers. Small-scale laboratory tests were conducted in order to validate the model, with different wave conditions and breakwater configurations. In the present study, regular waves of different heights and periods impinging on a wide-crested structure are considered. Three different water depths were tested in order to examine the influence of the structure freeboard. The experimental set-up includes a flow recirculation system aimed at preventing water piling-up at the lee of the breakwater due to overtopping. The applicability and validity of the model are examined by comparing the results of the numerical computations with experimental data. The model is proved to simulate with a high degree of agreement all the studied magnitudes, free surface displacement, pressure inside the porous structure and velocity field. The results obtained show that this model represents a substantial improvement in the numerical modelling of low-crested structures (LCS) since it includes many processes neglected previously by existing models. The information provided by the model can be useful to analyse structure functionality, structure stability, scour and many other hydrodynamic processes of interest.     

Transmission of obliquely incident waves at low-crested breakwaters: Theoretical interpretations of experimental observations

The paper presents a series of analytical and numerical investigations of oblique wave transmission at low-crested breakwaters. For a smooth breakwater, two important features of wave height and direction are analyzed to establish the generic nature of the wave transmission process at oblique incidence. The proposed framework of research is validated against laboratory data from the EU-sponsored project, DELOS. The numerical simulations exhibit a significant decrease of the transmission coefficient with increasingly oblique incidence at a smooth breakwater. The roles of wave-breaking, nonlinearity, wave-induced currents and set-up in determining the characteristics of oblique wave transmission are demonstrated in the paper. It is found that both the amplitude-dependent phase velocity and the decrease of mean wave period contribute to the change of mean wave direction on the transmission side. An attempt has also been made to qualitatively explain the different behaviour of oblique wave transmission at a rubble-mound breakwater.     

Evolution of wave shape over a low-crested structure

This paper investigates the evolution of wave shape over a low-crested structure (LCS) using a 2-D RANS-VOF model. The model predictions of surface elevation and wave skewness and asymmetry are in good agreement with the recent measurements collected in a small scale wave channel at the University of Cantabria (UCA). The empirical formulae relating wave skewness and asymmetry to local Ursell number by Peng et al. (2009) have been extended to include the effect of wave reflection and the ramp in front of LCS and a wider range of Ursell number in the present study. In the presence of LCS, wave skewness decreases slightly above the seaward slope, then increases rapidly up to a maximum value above the structure crest, and decreases drastically above the leeward slope. Wave asymmetry decreases sharply above the seaward slope to a negative minimum value at the structure crest, and then increases rapidly to a positive value above the leeward slope. Our bispectral analysis indicates that sum interactions increase skewness and decrease asymmetry while difference interactions have opposite effects and that the former dominate above the seaward slope and on the structure crest but the latter dominate above the leeward slope of LCS. The observed wave shape evolution over a LCS can be attributed to the changes in the interplay of sum and difference interactions. We found that incident wave height and wave period, relative structure freeboard, structure crest width and structure porosity are the controlling factors for wave shape evolution over LCS. This study provides new insights on the role of wave skewness and asymmetry in the breakwaters stability and sediment transport around the structure and on the beaches behind it.     

Wave transmission and reflection at low-crested structures: Design formulae,oblique wave attack and spectral change

A part of the DELOS research focused on wave transformation at low-crested structures, called LCS. This paper gives a summary of all results. Wave transmission on rubble mound structures has been subject for more flume tests in the DELOS programme and simultaneously an existing database has been increased extensively by receiving data from other researchers in the world. This new database consists of more than 2300 tests and has been used to come up with the best 2D wave transmission formula for rubble mound LCS, although not necessarily new as existing ones have been evaluated. Oblique wave attack on LCS was a second objective within DELOS. Results were analysed leading to new empirical transmission formulae for smooth LCS and to conclusions on 3D effects for both rubble mound and smooth LCS. The spectral shape changes due to wave transmission and this change has been subject of analysis for all new test data described above. Although analysis has not been finished completely, former assumptions on spectral change were more or less confirmed. Finally, some analysis was performed on reflection at LCS and a first formula was derived to take into account the effect that wave overtopping or transmission reduces reflection and must be dependent on the crest height of the structure.     

孤立波低顶海堤越浪的数值模拟研究

灾害性波浪是中国沿海地区最具破坏性的自然灾害之一。采用开源程序OpenFOAM中interFoam求解器,对低顶海堤（在风暴潮和海平面上升情况下所面临的不利工况）的孤立波越浪特性开展数值模拟研究。通过孤立波冲击海堤的基准算例,验证模型在模拟波浪爬升和越浪过程中大变形波面以及剧烈波浪力方面的精度。基于验证的数值模型,对孤立波在低顶海堤上的越浪特征以及防浪墙高度对越浪的影响开展参数化研究。结果表明堤顶超高减小导致更为剧烈的越浪。针对尚无低顶海堤孤立波越浪量经验公式的问题,提出新的适用于堤顶超高小或为0的孤立波越浪量经验公式。此外,研究发现增加防浪墙高度可有效减少越浪,但防浪墙所受的波浪力也增大。综合考虑防浪墙减少越浪以及自身所受波浪力,针对文中研究采用的海堤截面和波浪条件,建议无量纲防浪墙高度取为1.00。     

Parameterisation and transformation of wave asymmetries over a low-crested breakwater

This paper presents the results of an investigation of the transformation of wave skewness and asymmetry as waves propagate obliquely over low-crested breakwaters, (LCBs), based on an analysis of measurements collected in the DELOS project. Considering the effect of the local Ursell number on wave asymmetries, a set of practical empirical formulae were established using least squares regression for both smooth and rubble mound LCBs. Predictions are in good agreement with measurements. Wave skewness on both sides of LCBs is linearly correlated for rubble mound LCBs but weakly correlated for smooth LCBs. While wave asymmetry on both sides of LCBs has a weakly quadratic correlation. The effect of the relative freeboard on the relationships of wave asymmetries between both sides is significant for rubble mound LCBs, but the same does not hold for smooth LCBs. With the presence of LCBs, wave skewness retains a positive sign on both sides but asymmetry changes from negative on the incident side to positive on the transmission side. Bispectral analysis shows that positive skewness and negative asymmetry arises from self–self and sum interactions but positive asymmetry is due to difference interactions between frequencies. The findings provide improved understanding of changes in wave skewness and asymmetry in the vicinity of structures, which may help mitigate scour and improve the stability of breakwaters.     

淹没矩形防波堤透反射系数特性研究

采用解析方法研究了斜向入射波作用下淹没矩形防波堤的透反射系数特性.首先利用特征函数展开法导出了绕射势函数的分析解和透反射系数的计算公式,然后利用边界元方法验证了解析解,在此基础上利用解析解分析了若干工况下的防波堤透反射特性.计算结果表明,淹没矩形防波堤截面的宽度、高度和相对位置以及入射角的改变都不同程度影响反射系数和透射系数.在中等深度条件下,对于一定频率的波浪,位置和尺寸适当的淹没矩形堤可以反射大部分斜向入射波.研究结果对设计淹没的矩形防波堤具有重要的参考价值.     

Wave reflection and transmission by curtainwall–pile breakwaters using circular piles

This paper presents a mathematical model which computes the hydrodynamic characteristics of a curtainwall–pile breakwater (CPB) using circular piles, by modifying the model developed for rectangular piles by Suh et al. [2006. Hydrodynamic characteristics of pile-supported vertical wall breakwaters. Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal and Ocean Engineering 132(2), 83–96]. To examine the validity of the model, laboratory experiments have been conducted for CPB with various values of draft of curtain wall, spacing between piles, and wave height and period. Comparisons between measurement and prediction show that the mathematical model adequately reproduces most of the important features of the experimental results. The mathematical model based on linear wave theory tends to over-predict the reflection coefficient as the wave height increases. As the draft of the curtain wall increases and the porosity between piles decreases, the reflection and transmission coefficient increases and decreases, respectively, as expected. As the relative water depth increases, however, the effect of porosity disappears because the wave motion is minimal in the lower part of a water column for short waves.     

Numerical analysis of wave overtopping of rubble mound breakwaters

The paper describes the results of a two-dimensional (2-D) numerical modelling investigation of the functionality of rubble mound breakwaters with special attention focused on wave overtopping processes. The model, COBRAS-UC, is a new version of the COBRAS (Cornell Breaking Waves and Structures) based on the Volume Averaged Reynolds Average Navier–Stokes (VARANS) equations and uses a Volume of Fluid Technique (VOF) method to capture the free surface. The nature of the model equations and solving technique provides a means to simulate wave reflection, run-up, wave breaking on the slope, transmission through rubble mounds, overtopping and agitation at the protected side due to the combined effect of wave transmission and overtopping. Also, two-dimensional experimental studies are carried out to investigate the performance of the model. The computations of the free surface and pressure time series and spectra under regular and irregular waves, are compared with the experimental data reaching a very good agreement. The model is also used to reproduce instantaneous and average wave overtopping discharge. Comparisons with existing semi-empirical formulae and experimental data show a very good performance. The present model is expected to become in the near future an excellent tool for practical applications.     

Quantification of changes in current intensities induced by wave overtopping around low-crested structures

The phenomenon of overtopping is traditionally studied for well-emerged harbour structures and often focuses on safety and stability. In this paper laboratory tests are presented and analysed to sharpen the hypothesis that overtopping is capable of changing the horizontal circulation pattern around low-crested structures. A unique data set from laboratory experiments was acquired in the wave basin at Delft University of Technology. The experiments were performed using an emerged impermeable low-crested structure (three freeboards and three different wave conditions for each freeboard) and yielded nine different combinations of set-up and overtopping driving forces. Using this information it was possible to quantify the changes in cross-shore and longshore velocity induced by the overtopping and the set-up changes under the different freeboard and wave conditions described. It is found that overtopping enhances the outgoing flows (longshore velocities parallel to the structure) away from the lee side of the structure and dampens the water level gradient driven flow towards the structure.     

Experimental study on wave transmission coefficient, mooring lines and module connector forces with different designs of floating breakwaters

This paper presents the results and conclusions obtained from the physical model tests carried out with four different designs of floating breakwaters. Changes from a basic design have been introduced in order to evaluate the improvement in the efficiency as a coastal protection structure. Incident and transmitted waves have been measured, as well as the efforts in the mooring lines and module connectors. It has been found that the width of the pontoons is one of the key design parameters, while small modifications in the floating breakwater's cross section shape are less determinant in its hydrodynamic behaviour and in mechanical loads in the discussed ranges. 2D and 3D tests were conducted, observing the great influence that the wave obliquity has in the module connector forces.     

透空式防波堤周围的非线性波浪传播的数值模拟

对非线形波浪在透空式防波堤周围的波浪变形进行了数值模拟,在Boussinesq波浪方程中加入与透空建筑物有关的新的耗散项,从而界定了透空建筑物引起的部分反射和透射,波浪折射衍射的传播过程通过控制方程求解。波浪控制方程通过有限差分方法求解。模型应用于模拟波浪经过具有部分反射的群桩式透空结构,结果表明透空式防波堤可以有效地衰减波浪,是重力式结构的一种替代形式。     

基于基因表达式编程算法的波浪透射预测

准确预测波浪透射对于维护港内水域平稳、保障港内船舶稳定具有重要意义。基于567组透浪试验数据,采用基因表达式编程(gene expression programming,简称GEP)算法预测波浪透射。主要研究内容包括:确定GEP算法的最优输入变量组合;建立透浪系数与最优组合变量的定量关系;探究GEP算法的预测精度随训练组数变化的规律;并对输入变量进行了敏感性分析。研究结果表明,GEP算法的最优输入变量组合为深水波陡、相对堤宽和相对水深;训练组数较少时,GEP算法的预测精度不高,当训练组数提高至300组,预测的精度已经达到较高水平,且精度随着训练组数的继续增加提高不大; GEP算法的预测精度远远高于前人的经验公式;相较于相对堤宽和相对水深,深水波陡对波浪透射影响更为显著。本研究表明,GEP算法可作为一种新的方法研究波浪透射,为后续研究与应用提供参照。     

Analysis of far-field erosion induced by low-crested rubble-mound structures

This paper focuses on the analysis of the morphological response induced by low-crested structures on the adjacent seabed, with emphasis on the far-field erosion that is frequently observed close to roundheads and at the gaps between structures. The analysis is based on observations of far-field erosion, both at prototype scale and in laboratory experiments. Mechanisms responsible for the observed erosion are highlighted using coastal area numerical modelling tools to simulate the flow patterns induced by schemes involving low-crested structures. Finally, an example of the use of a coastal area morphological modelling system to investigate the dependence of the far-field erosion processes on the freeboard of the coastal protection structures is presented and discussed.     

Dynamic model of manoeuvrability using recursive neural networks

This paper presents a Recursive Neural Network (RNN) manoeuvring simulation model for surface ships. Inputs to the simulation are the orders of rudder angle and ship’s speed and also the recursive outputs velocities of sway and yaw. This model is used to test the capabilities of artificial neural networks in manoeuvring simulation of ships. Two manoeuvres are simulated: tactical circles and zigzags. The results between both simulations are compared in order to analyse the accuracy of the RNN. The simulations are performed for the Mariner hull. The data generated to train the network are obtained from a manoeuvrability model performing the simulation of different manoeuvring tests. The RNN proved to be a robust and accurate tool for manoeuvring simulation.