| Abstract: | Studies on the possible effects of a detached breakwater on the characteristics of the wave field are carried out experimentally. A serpentine wave generator is used to generate both uni- and multi- directional waves. Characteristics of the wave fields analyzed here include the wave field directionality, and the probability distributions of surface elevations and of the wave heights. Owing to the presence of the breakwater, waves outside the harbour are found to be reflected with, however, concentrated energy within the harbour entrance. In general, wave heights can be approximated with a Rayleigh distribution, with occasional deviations from the theory. This occurs more frequently for waves with higher peak frequency values than for those with lower values both for uni- and multi-directional waves. Surface elevations can be approximated with the Gaussian model, although the Edgeworth's form of the type A Gram- Charlier series expansions would yield better fits. Wave directionality is found to have no discernible effects on the statistical characteristics of the wave field. |
