Wave Forces Acting on Vertical Walls

Regular and irregular wave forces acting on vertical walls are studied by a previously developed numerical model. The computed wave forces are compared with the available experimental data to verify the numerical model, and satisfactory agreements are obtained. The variation of wave forces with incident angles and the shape of simultaneous pressure distribution are investigated, and the comparisons between numerical results and Goda's predictions are also carried out. It is concluded that the maximum wave forces acting on the unit length of vertical wall is often induced by the obliquely incident waves instead of normally incident waves, while Goda's formula may be inapplicable for oblique wave incidence. The shape of simultaneous pressure distribution is not significantly influenced by incident angles, and it can be favorably predicted by Goda's formula. When regular wave heights are taken as the same as irregular wave height H1%, the irregular wave forces Ph,1% are slightly larger than regular wave forces in most cases.