Abstract Submitted to ICE Coasts, Maritime Structures and Breakwaters 2021

LABORATORY INVESTIGATIONS ON BERM BREAKWATER

USING CONCRETE CUBES AS ARTIFICIAL ARMOUR UNIT

Subba Rao Kiran G.Shirlal Madhu.M*

Professor Assistant professor M.Tech Student

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the results of experimental studies conducted on the stability of berm
breakwater using concrete cube as artificial armour unit. The weight of concrete cube used in
the model is about 79.5 gm, for a design wave heights of 0.1 m. Berm breakwater models were
tested for stability for three different water depths. The dimensionless recession varied from 3 to
6.6 for the design wave height of 0.10 m and 6.6 to 8.85 for higher wave height of 0.12m for the
different water depths.

Keywords: Run-up, Rundown, Wave steepness, Stability number, Recession, Damage Level

Notations:

d Water Depth

Ho/gT2 Deep Water wave Steepness

Ns Hudson’s stability number

Ru/Ho Relative run-up

Introduction

The present work involves an experimental study on the influence of change in water level in
front of breakwater on the stability of the berm breakwater. The weight of concrete cube used in
the present model is, W50 = 79.5 gm and berm width, (B =0.45m). The earlier experiments
conducted in the same wave flume on statically stable berm breakwater model with armour
weight, W50 =52gm, and berm width = 0.45m, has shown a stable profile for wave height up to
0.14m (Subba Rao et.al. 2006). The stability of the breakwater is studied by measuring the
recession of the berm provided. The recession of the berm beyond the berm width is considered
as the failure of the breakwater. Weight of armour unit used, W50 = 79.5 gm is calculated by
Hudson equation (CEM 2002) for a design wave height of 0.1m. In the present model,
theprimary layer is divided into three zones crest ward slope, berm and toe ward slope, and the
units in these regions are coloured as grey,white and red respectively.

Conclusions

Based on the present investigation, the following conclusions are drawn. The stability of berm
breakwater model studied is largely influenced by the storm duration. The model has shown a
stable profile after duration of 1000 waves for the wave heights of 0.10 m and 0.12 m. The
recession of berm is largely influenced by the change in water level in front of the breakwater.
The dimensionless recession varied from 0.93 to 2.04 for the design wave height of 0.10 m and
2.32 to 2.72 for higher wave height of 0.12m, for the different water depths. For the higher wave
heights of H=0.14m showed a recession of 6.36 and H= 0.16m showed a dimensionless
recession of 10.26 for d=0.37 m, Hence the recession is less with the use of cube as armour
unit, for the three cases of water depths studied. The dimensionless runup varied from 0.52 to
1.08. The variation of damage level (S) with Ns for 0.40m water depth is highest and 0.37 m
being least.

References & Acknowledgements

Fig-1 Cross Section Of Berm Breakwater Model Fig-2 Details of Experimental Set up

References

CEM. Coastal Engineering Manual (2002). Fundamental of Design. EM 1110-2-1100(Part-6),

U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers

Hall, K. R.and Kao, J. S. (1991). The influence of armor stone gradation on dynamically stable
breakwaters. Journal of Coastal Engineering, Vol.15, 333-346

PIANC MarCom W G 40. (2003). State-of-the-art of the design and construction of berm
breakwaters. PIANC, Report of Working Group 40 - MARCOM, Brussels

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