The University of Nottingham

Malaysia Campus
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
A LEVEL 4 MODULE, SPRING SEMESTER 2014-2015
COASTAL ENGINEERING
Time allowed TWO Hours

Candidates may complete the front cover of their answer book and sign their desk
card but must NOT write anything else until the start of the examination period is
announced.
Answer all FOUR questions, all questions carry equal marks.
Only silent, self contained calculators with a Single-Line Display or Dual-Line
Display are permitted in this examination.
Dictionaries are not allowed with one exception. Those whose first language is not
English may use a standard translation dictionary to translate between that
language and English provided that neither language is the subject of this
examination. Subject specific translation dictionaries are not permitted.
No electronic devices capable of storing and retrieving text, including electronic
dictionaries, may be used.
DO NOT turn examination paper over until instructed to do so.

Turn Over

1 (a)
Explain how a groin works. What is the functional difference
between a headland breakwater and a groin?
(8 marks)
(b) A beach nourishment project of length a = 5 km in length is applied
onto a reasonably stable shoreline to protect the upland activities.
The designed beach is to be 75 m wide and is to be placed at the
dB
berm elevation
= 3.5 m. The depth of the sand transport
from historic data is estimated to be around

dC

= 8 m.

design wave near the area is estimated to be

HB

= 2.5 m with

The

wavelength approximately 200 m. The sediment size of the natural

beach is equal to the fill size and has a specific density of 2.65.
The porosity of the beach n is 0.45, while the K factor = 0.77.
Given that
K H 2B g d B
1
=
8
S
1

( )

i)
ii)
iii)

( 1n1 )( d +1 d )
B

Estimate the wave period of the design wave, assuming deep

water.
(4 marks)
Calculate the value of .
(5 marks)
Using the nomograph below, estimate the width at the end of
the beach-fill after 1 year.
(8 marks)

Figure 1: Nomograph for change of morphology of a rectangular beach fill

2.

(a)
(b)

Give a general description of a harbour and its essential features.

(4 marks)
A monochromatic wave train approaches a sloped harbour shelter
through an opening as in Figure 2. The wave height H of the wave at
entry is 1.5 m and the wavelength L

is approximately 50 m. The water

depth outside the harbour is 15 m, the length

harbour
i)

ii)

lW

lB

and the gap of the

is 20 m and 5 m respectively.

Calculate the wavenumber and wave period of the incoming wave,

and estimate the wave height of the wave inside the shelter. For
wWhat water wavelength(s) is this harbour prone to exhibit
resonance?
(4 marks)
To protect the harbour from oscillation, it is proposed to construct
another floating breakwater outside the harbour entrancey to further
reduce the wave height at entry by at least 70% before entry into
the harbour.

Given that the reflection coefficient

breakwater can be given by

Irribarren number given by

Ir =

Cr =

a I 2r
b+ I 2r , where

Cr

Ir

of a
is the

tan

H
L

, where

is the slope

angleof the breakwater, calculate the slope angleof the rubblemound structure for
(c)

= 1.1 and

= 5.7, assuming no loss of

energy during transmission.

(12 marks)
Suggest reasons why a floating breakwater is built instead of a full
structure. Discuss the pros and cons of the design.
(5 marks)

Figure 2: Resonance in a sloped harbour

3.

A cylindrical vertical column of an offshore rig is constructed in the sea water

d at the pile is 10 m, the wave height

H is 2.9 m and the dominant wavelength is 50 m. The diameter D of the
w
-3

offshore Borneo.

The water depth

pile is 2.5 m. The density of the water

is 1025 kg m

and its kinematic

viscosity is 1 x 10 m s .
-6

(a)

-1

Given the dispersion relationship for water waves,

where

acceleration,

is the

angular frequency,

is the wavenumber and

is the gravitational
is the water depth, find

the dominant wave period and the celerity of the wave.

(b)

Given the velocity potential of the wave

=gk tanh kd ,

(5 marks)

gH cosh k ( y +d )
sin ( kxt ) ,
2 cosh kd

in ( x , y , t )-coordinates, calculate the maximum horizontal velocity at

the sea surface and at the seabed.
Reynolds number.
(c)

Hence calculate the maximum pile

(7 marks)

The equations for the drag-inertia forces and moment forces are given by

F=m C D w g H 2 D ,

is the force coefficients to be found from the

nomograms of Figure 3. The drag coefficient

Find the force coefficients
by the pile.
d)

CD

is known to be 0.7.

and thus calculate the forces sustained

(8 marks)

Illustrate how scour is protected in a typical offshore rig column.

(5 marks)

Figure 3: Isolines of

versus non-dimensional wave height and water depth

a)
Illustrate graphically the typical design layout of a seawall with
revetment layers.
(5 marks)
b)
A ferry pier seawall was constructed with 10-ton (10000 kg) armour
stones on a 1:2 slope as revetment for protection. Assuming the stones
be roughly spherical, and have a density of 2750 kg m -3, the density of
water be taken as 1025 kg m -3, calculate the design waveheight for this
arrangement for non-overtopping waves.
(5 marks)
c) Further observations have shown that the wave climate has changed and
the waves that approach this slope breaks and might have exceed the
design parameter. Wave conditions measured offshore were

H0

= 4.5

m with a wave period of 22 s. Based on the Battjes surf-similarity

parameter ,
i) Determine whether the type of wave-break (Surging, plunging,
collapsing or spilling) and
(5 marks)
ii)
Estimate the new breaking wave height and
(5 marks)
iii)
Hence using the Hudson formula again, estimate the size of the
replacement stone cubes to tackle this wave.
(5 marks)
The following equations might be useful:

=( tan )

Breaking wave index

B =

HB
H
=0.56 0
H0
L0

L0
H0 ,
0.2

( )

Hudsons formula for median rock mass

m50=

where

m50

is

s H 3
3
s
K
1 cot
w

the median mass of stones;

the density of the stones;

the density of water;

the maximum breaking wave height

Hudsons coefficient = 2.1 and

the angle of slope of the rubble-mound structure.

END OF PAPER