EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON STABILITY OF NEW WAVE DISSIPATING BLOCKS AND EFFECTS OF WAVE STEEPNESS AND WAVE BREAKING ON ITS STABILITY

Abstract

A set of experiments was conducted to examine the stability of new type of wave dissipating blocks. It was confirmed from the experimental results that offshore wave steepness influences the stability of blocks. The parameters of stability number formula were derived with classification of wave steepness. Required weight of new block against a design wave can be reduced to 90 percent compared to a typical standard block because the stability is being improved. The wave steepness relates deeply to the breaker type, and wave steepness' effect should not be neglected in the stability estimation of blocks. In order to separate the effects of wave steepness and wave breaking, it had better to conduct the experiments with flat bottom condition for further investigation of blocks' stability.