STABILITY OF RUBBLE MOUND BREAKWATER

Abstract

The stability of a rubble mound breakwater section, with 3 in 2 armour slope, was tested under random waves attack. Tests analysis shows that the equivalent wave height characterizing the spectrum to be used in a stability formula elaborated with regular waves (for instance the Hudson's formula) is the upper twentieth height of the distribution for a storm duration of 6 hours. An analytical expression of the damage evolution as function of time modulates this choice according to the storm duration. The same rubble mound breakwater was also tested under the action of regular breaking waves. The damage was expressed in terms of the four following parameters : H0 : wave height T : wave period Dp : water depth at the toe of the structure Djj : breaker depth without the breakwater For a given wave height, the most important damage occur when : °b In this case the design wave height must be increased by about 30 % when using a stability formula elaborated for non breaking waves.