Wave Transmission by Suspended Pipe Breakwater

Abstract

A suspended pipe breakwater was designed specifically for fishery/pleasure-craft harbors where moderate wave agitations in the harbor basin are admissible. The present breakwater consists of a row of closely spaced pipes mounted onto a frame and suspended between the support piles spaced far apart. Experimental studies conducted to determine the wave transmission characteristics indicate that by suspending a row of closely spaced pipes (with a gap to diameter ratio of 0.22 and draft to water depth ratio of 0.46), a 50% reduction in incident-wave height can be achieved. The cost and performance of conventionally adopted pile breakwater (involving a row of closely spaced piles driven on the seabed) were compared with the present system. The comparison revealed that the present system can reduce the investment cost by about 40% and can attenuate waves with the same efficiency as that of a row of closely spaced piles.