REAR SIDE STABILITY OF BERM BREAKWATERS

Abstract

With the aim of providing improved methods for preliminary design of berm breakwaters, a series of physical model tests and a parameter study with special emphasis on the rear side stability of a trunk section have been carried out at the Danish Hydraulic Institute (DHI). The model tests included different geometries of the berm breakwater profile and a range of wave conditions. For each profile, the wave condition resulting in sea side and/or rear side damage was determined. As a hydrodynamic description of the overtopping waves would be very comprehensive, and at present is not available, a surf similarity approach in combination with a force balance for the armour stones has been chosen. A parametric expression for the rear side stability has been established and found to be in fairly good agreement with the model test results.