Wave Forces on Wall

Abstract

Revised criteria is presented for wave shoaling after breaking on a plane beach and for resulting wave forces on a wall landward of the still-water line. Existing criteria is based on the assumption that the wave height above still water will remain constant between the point of wave breaking and the shoreline. A review of experiments carried out by several different researchers shows a marked reduction in wave height following breaking; and the assumption used in existing criteria will overestimate wave heights by a factor of four and wave forces by a factor of 16. New criteria is presented that more accurately predicts the height of a broken wave. Revised equations are given for calculating resulting wave forces.