Performance Characteristics of a Rapidly Installed Breakwater System

This dissertation describes an integrated study of analytical, numerical, laboratory, and field modeling efforts to quantify the performance and response of a new type of rapidly installed breakwater system (RIBS) being developed at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center's (ERDC) Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory (CHL), located in Vicksburg, MS. RIB is a floating breakwater with two legs in a 'V' shape in plan view which provide a sheltered region from waves and currents. The performance of a floating breakwater can be quantified by the wave transmission coefficient. The structural response can be estimated using the wave-induced dynamic pressures along the structure. These pressures can be used to calculate the wave forces and moments. Both the measured wave transmission coefficient and dynamic pressure were compared to analytical and numerical predictions and several new empirical parameters have been developed.