Efficiency of double rows of piles used as a breakwater

Abstract EN

The wave transmission, reflection, and energy loss due to closely spaced pile breakwaters consisted of two rows of vertical piles were investigated experimentally.

Different parameters were tested such as, the gap-diameter or width ratio, the relative distance between the rows of piles, the wave length, the shape of the piles (square or circular), and the arrangement of the piles (straight or staggered).

The square pile breakwater was found to be more efficient than the circular piles in decreasing the transmitted waves.

Also, it was concluded that the efficiency of the breakwater was increased as the gap-diameter or width ratio decreased and as the relative span between pile rows increased.

Finally, it was noticed that the effect of the pile arrangement (straight or staggered) was slightly affected the breakwater efficiency.