Wave Loads on Caisson Founded on Multilayered Rubble Base

Abstract

The solution to the problem of the interaction of linear waves with a composite breakwater is presented and is applied to determine wave reflection and transmission as well as wave loads on a caisson founded on a multilayered rubble base. The results show that the bench width has little effect, whereas the rubble base height has a significant effect on wave reflection and transmission and on wave loads on the caisson. The results also show that complex, thick, or less permeable armor layers increase the effect of rubble base. Moreover, the results show that the rubble damping properties should be included in the analysis of wave reflection and transmission, and wave loads on a caisson, and that the damping can be described satisfactorily by the Darcy damping law. The present method can be applied in a straightforward manner to an excitation provided by wind waves and, before a more advanced approach is attempted, some cases associated with nonlinear wave excitation may partially be analyzed with a modification to the present approach. Theoretical results are in fairly good agreement with experimental data.