Caisson breakwaters embodying an OWC with a small opening - Part II: A small-scale field experiment

A common and intuitive idea is that, before an absorbing breakwater, waves are smaller than before a conventional reflecting breakwater. The theory of Part I has shown that, on the contrary, before a breakwater converter, in some cases, the wave height may be greater than before a conventional reflecting breakwater. Now, an experiment off the eastern coast of the Straits of Messina provides a confirmation of the theory: some huge amplifications of swells are common at a breakwater converter, and as a consequence the energy absorption gets very large. Here, we show the results of the experiment, and, basing ourselves on these results and on the theory of Part I, we suggest some practical way of calculation. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.