Large Area Wave-Load Meter

For prototype measurements to be done on the Haringvliet sluices (Netherlands) a wave-load meter for measuring wave impacts was made and tested. This meter, consisting of a large pressure cell (surface area 0.5 m²), three small pressure transducers (surface area 132 mm²) in its vertical axis, and one small transducer beside the cell, answered three questions: (1) Is the magnitude of the measured wave pressures a function of the pressure cell size? (2) Can the difference in pressure magnitude between spots lying close together be considerable? and (3) Is the pressure transducer response a function of the support stiffness? Prototype wave tests were done on one of the Ymuiden harbor breakwaters. The results indicate that the wave-load meter works correctly. It appeared that the results of the measurements with the big cell and the small transducers were consistent. For the Ymuiden conditions the answers to the three questions are negative; this will still be checked for the Haringvliet conditions.