Stability of Reef Breakwaters
Publication: Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering
Volume 115, Issue 2
Abstract
This paper discusses the stability of a class of rubble mounds referred to as reef breakwaters. Reef breakwaters do riot have a multilayer cross section like conventional breakwaters but are a homogeneous pile of stone. Individual stone weights are similar to those used in the armor or first underlayer of traditional breakwaters. Findings are based on a study which includes an extensive series of physical model tests conducted with irregular waves. An unusual method to quantify reef stability is presented. The method is unusual because it measures stability in terms of reduction in crest height due to wave attack. Reduction in crest height has less scatter than damage measured by number of stones displaced. Such an approach directly links stability to the primary performance characteristic of wave transmission. A stability model is developed which can accurately predict damage to the reef from very minor to very severe levels. The model also works for both submerged and subaerial mounds and for a wide range of wave conditions including those with heavy overtopping.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Ahrens, J. P., and Heimbaugh, M. S. (1988). “Approximate upper limit of irregular wave runup on riprap.” CERC Technical Report, CERC‐88‐5, May.
2.
Ahrens, J. P. (1987). “Characteristics of reef breakwaters.” CERC Technical Report 87‐17, Coastal Engrg. Res. Ctr., Vicksburg, Miss.
3.
Ahrens, J. P. (1984). “Reef type breakwaters.” Proc. of the 19th Coastal Engrg. Conference, Houston, Tex., Sept., 2648–2662.
4.
Bremner, W. D., et al. (1980). “The design concept of dual breakwaters and its application to Townsville, Australia.” Proc. of the 17th Coastal Engineering Conference, 2, Sydney, Australia, 828–845.
5.
Dally, W. R., and Pope, J. (1986). “Detached breakwaters for shore protection.” CERC Technical Report 86‐1, Coastal Engrg. Res. Ctr., Vicksburg, Miss.
6.
Fulford, E. T. (1985). “Reef type breakwaters for shoreline stabilization.” Proc. of Coastal Zone 85, ASCE, Baltimore, Md., 1776–1795.
7.
Goda, Y., and Suzuki, Y. (1976). “Estimation of incident and reflected waves in random wave experiments.” Proc. of the 15th Coastal Engrg. Conference, Honolulu, Hawaii, 828–845.
8.
Gravesen, H., Jensen, O. J., and Sorensen, T. (1979). “Stability of rubble‐mound breakwaters.” Conference on Coastal Structures '79, Alexandria, Va.
9.
Hudson, R. Y., and Davidson, D. D. (1975). “Reliability of rubble‐mound breakwater stability models.” Proc. of the ASCE Symposium on Modeling Techniques, San Francisco, Calif.
10.
Hudson, R. Y. (1958). “Design of quarry‐stone cover layers for rubble‐mound breakwaters.” U.S. Army, Waterways Experiment Station, Research Report No. 2‐2, Vicksburg, Miss.
11.
Hughes, S. A. (1984). “The TMA shallow‐water spectrum description and applications.” CERC Technical Report 84‐7, Coastal Engrg. Res. Ctr., Vicksburg, Miss.
12.
Thompson, E. F., and Vincent, C. L. (1985). “Significant wave height for shallow water design.” J. Wtrway., Port, Coast., and Oc. Engrg., ASCE, III(5), 828–842.
13.
Walker, J. R., Palmer, R. Q., and Dunham, J. W. (1975). “Breakwater back slope stability.” Proc. of Civ. Engrg. in the Oceans/III, 2, Newark, Del., June, 879–898.
14.
Wiegel, R. L. (1982). “Breakwater damage by severe storm waves and Tsunami waves.” Pacific Gas and Electric Co., Berkeley, Calif.
15.
Wiegel, R. L. (1964). Oceanographical engineering. Prentice‐Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N.J.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering
Volume 115 • Issue 2 • March 1989
Pages: 221 - 234
Copyright
Copyright © 1989 ASCE.
History
Published online: Mar 1, 1989
Published in print: Mar 1989
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.