BEM-FEM COMBINED ANALYSIS OF NONLINEAR INTERACTION BETWEEN WAVE AND SUBMERGED BREAKWATER

A combined BEM-FEM model has been developed to study the nonlinear dynamic interaction between a submerged breakwater and waves. The resistance coefficients in the equations of motion inside the porous media have been experimentally determined based on measured values of the wave forces on spherical armor units in a submerged breakwater. Comparisons of the numerical model results with the experimental measurements indicate that this modification has improved the model accuracy in simulating the wave deformation and the energy dissipation due to a submerged breakwater. Results also show that the model gives good estimates for the wave kinematics inside and around the breakwater which are necessary to compute the stable armor stone weight.