THE EFFECT OF STORM DURATION ON RUBBLE MOUND BREAKWATER STABILITY

Abstract

Experimental data are given to aid in the selection of the wave height for the design of a rubble mound breakwater as a function of the type and duration of the wave storm, and the allowed percentage of damage in the armour layers. In these experiments the model breakwater was subjected to the attack of periodic waves of height and in number according with the known statistical distribution for actual swells. - Some noteworthy differences were found In the effects of different duration storms. Observation of the destruction process of the breakwater with double layer of armour rocks, showed that the filter layers uncovering occurred always for armour damage percentages above 5$ and thus this last value is suggested as the ma_ ximum permissible in case of a storm of very high recurrence period.