Experimental study on hydraulic characteristics and vorticity interactions of floating breakwaters

Abstract

In this study, laboratory experiments are conducted to investigate flow fields around floating breakwaters by using the LDV (Laser Doppler Velocimetry) system. The LDV system is a well-known equipment to measure fluid particle velocities in laboratory experiments. Although the system requires great efforts and enormous time for measurements, it can provide precise velocity fields comparing to other available equipments. Various types of drafts and shapes for breakwaters are employed in laboratory experiments to analyze a relation between flow-fields and vortex. A series of numerical experiments are also carried out by using a two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations model. Numerically predicted results are compared with experimental measurements.