THE HAVRE LABORATORY FOR MEASURING THE FORCE OF WAVES

Abstract

The International Committee for studying the force of waves, a Committee set up by the International Association of Navigation Congresses, the activities of which were interrupted by the War, was reconstituted in 1950. The Le Havre station was built on the Northern breakwater of the Port of Havre in 1949-1950 after an investigation concerning procedures to be used for recording pressure oaused by waves. The system adopted utilizes variable electric capacities. A manometric membrane made of glucinium bronze, with a diameter of 30 mm (l-J"), carries with it when moving one armature of a condenser, the other armature of which remains stationary. The capacity variations thus introduced into an oscillating circuit with fixed frequency, controlled by quart, are translated into tension variations. The advantages of such a system are good stability and almost complete absence of distortion within the limits of use.