WAVE REFLECTION AND TRANSMISSION FOR PILE ARRAYS

Abstract

A group of piles in a specific geometric pattern may represent a part of a foundation supported by multiple pilings or a porous sea wall or other type of porous coastal structure. "Wave characteristics" of such a structure will include not only the wave transmission but also wave reflection characteristics. Most of the experiments in the past on pile groups were mainly concerned with wave transmission characteristics as a function of wave height and period. The main purpose of these previous studies was to evaluate the absorption characteristics of pile groups, and wave reflections were generally not measured, or evaluated. Variables in this study included wave characteristics such as wave height and length and three types of symmetric pile arrays, two providing clear spacing in the direction of the wave between pile rows and one with a staggered arrangement. The results presented in dimensionless form show the effect of pile geometry and wave steepness on the coefficient of reflection and transmissibility.