Regular wave measurements on a submerged semicircular breakwater

The submerged semicircular breakwater (SBW) is mainly adopted to prevent beach erosion and to reduce the incident wave energy on its leeside, if it is used in front of a vertical breakwater. In addition, it facilitates the premature wave breaking, which in turn causes the reduction in wave energy. The dynamic pressures and forces exerted on the submerged SBW with 7%, 11%, and 17% of the exposed surface area with perforations on its seaside due to regular waves were measured. The hydrodynamic characteristics such as variations in the dimensionless pressures and forces, reflection and transmission coefficients on the semicircular caisson as a function of scattering parameter for three different water depths are presented and an optimum depth of submergence is arrived. The results on the above stated variables for seaside perforated SBWs are compared with the results of an impermeable SBW to study the effect of perforations. Copyright © 2010 by ASME.