Characteristics of Water Surface Variation around Double-Breaking Type Artificial Reef

Abstract

A submerged breakwater is one of the coastal structures used to reduce wave energy and coastal erosion. However, a submerged breakwater has a negative aspect in that a strong rip current occurring around an open inlet due to a difference in mean water levels at the front and rear sides of the structure leads to scouring. Such scouring has a bad effect on its stability. In order to eliminate this kind of demerit, this study investigated an artificial reef of the overflow type with openings. We also developed a program where the flows around the artificial reef of the overflow type could be analyzed numerically. An unstructured grid system was used to cover the various geometries, and the level set method was applied to treat the movement of the free surface. To verify these numerical schemes, hydraulic physical tests were performed on the submerged breakwater and double breaking type artificial reef. Then, the wave height and velocity distribution around the reef were examined using the experimental results. Comparisons between the results of hydraulic and numerical tests showed reasonable agreement.