Physical Modeling of Living Shorelines 2013

142 Pages·2013·3.01 MB·English

THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

PHYSICAL MODELING OF WAVE TRANSMISSION FOR SUBMERGED AND
EMERGENT BREAKWATERS USED IN LIVING SHORELINES

BY

Richard J. Allen

A Thesis

Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the
University of South Alabama
in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of

Master of Science

in

Department of Civil Engineering

May 2013

Approved: Date:

Chair of Thesis Committee: Dr. Bret M. Webb

Committee Member: Dr. Scott L. Douglass

Committee Member: Dr. Sean P. Powers

Chair of Department: Dr. Kevin D. White

Director of Graduate Studies: Dr. Thomas G. Thomas

Dean of the Graduate School: Dr. B. Keith Harrison
PHYSICAL MODELING OF WAVE TRANSMISSION FOR SUBMERGED AND
EMERGENT BREAKWATERS USED IN LIVING SHORELINES

A Thesis

Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the
University of South Alabama
in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of

Master of Science

in

Department of Civil Engineering

by
Richard J. Allen
B.S., University of South Alabama, 2011
May 2013
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This research was made possible through support provided by the U.S.
Department of Commerce through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
through The University of Southern Mississippi under terms of Agreement
No. NA10OAR4170078. The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do
not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Commerce, the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or The University of Southern Mississippi.
The author would like to take the time to thank all of the individuals who made
this research possible. Foremost, the author appreciates the support received from the
Department of Civil Engineering faculty, namely Dr. Bret Webb and Dr. Scott Douglass
for acquiring funding, and Dr. Eric Steward for assistance in determining the physical
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properties of the oyster shell substrate used in the ReefBLKs . Furthermore, thanks
should be given to Carl Ferraro from the Alabama Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources - Coastal Division for the acquisition of oyster shell and netting
material used in the bagged oyster shell experiments as well as Scott Rickard from the
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Auburn Shellfish Laboratory for supplying the oyster shell used in the ReefBLK
experiments. The geotechnical descriptions of the substrate used in the bagged oyster
shell experiments is accredited to Lewis Copeland, Vice President, of Southern Earth
Sciences. John Lyon is acknowledged for his fabrication expertise in constructing the
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frames for the ReefBLK . Additionally, set up and execution of the physical
experiments could not have been accomplished without the support of Timothy Wicker,
Drew Harrison, and Caren Reid Dixon. Finally, the financial and physical support of the
author's parents, Rick and Jan Allen, is attributed to the success of this research.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. vi
LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... ix
LIST OF SYMBOLS ....................................................................................................... xiii
ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... xiv
INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1
LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................... 5
OBJECTIVE ..................................................................................................................... 10
METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................... 11
Experimental Setup ....................................................................................................... 11
Bagged Oyster Shell ...................................................................................................... 12
Concrete Pyramids ........................................................................................................ 16
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ReefBLK ................................................................................................................... 20
Data Collection .............................................................................................................. 28

RESULTS ......................................................................................................................... 31
Bagged Oyster Shell ...................................................................................................... 31
Concrete Pyramids ........................................................................................................ 35
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ReefBLK ................................................................................................................... 41
Additional Testing Observations ................................................................................... 45

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DISCUSSION ................................................................................................................... 46
Bagged Oyster Shell ...................................................................................................... 46
Concrete Pyramids ........................................................................................................ 48
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ReefBLK ................................................................................................................... 55
Laboratory Scaling ........................................................................................................ 58

CONCLUSIONS............................................................................................................... 62
RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................................. 65
REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 66
APPENDICES ......................................................................................................................
APPENDIX A: ADDITIONAL FIGURES AND GRAPHS ........................................ 71
APPENDIX B: RAW DATA ........................................................................................ 76

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH .......................................................................................... 124

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LIST OF TABLES

Table Page

1. Bagged oyster shell breakwater experimental setup ..............................................15

2. Summary of the experimental setup for the concrete pyramids ............................19

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3. Summary of experimental setup for ReefBLKs .................................................28

4. Bagged oyster shell wave transmission coefficients for a RMS
incident wave height of 0.10 m (0.30 ft) and a wave period of 1.34
sec ..........................................................................................................................32

5. Bagged oyster shell wave transmission coefficients for a RMS
incident wave height of 0.17 m (0.52 ft) and a wave period of 2.03
sec ..........................................................................................................................33

6. Concrete pyramid measured wave transmission coefficients
obtained for the single row configuration as a function of the non-
dimensional length and height ...............................................................................36

7. Concrete pyramid measured wave transmission coefficients
obtained for the offset double row configuration as a function of
the non-dimensional length and height ..................................................................37

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8. ReefBLK measured wave transmission coefficients as a function
of the non-dimensional length and height, organized by experiment
number ...................................................................................................................42

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Appendix A
Table Page

A1. Single row configuration testing matrix of concrete pyramids ..............................73

A2. Offset double row configuration testing matrix of concrete pyramids ..................73

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A3. Oyster shell substrate properties used in ReefBLK units ...................................74

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A4. ReefBLK testing matrix .....................................................................................75

Appendix B
Table Page

B1. Summary of results for bagged oyster shell testing ...............................................76

B2. Summary of results for single row of concrete pyramids ......................................77

B3. Summary of results for offset double row of concrete pyramids...........................78

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B4. Summary of results for ReefBLK ......................................................................79

B5. Bagged oyster shell breakwater raw data for incident wave heights .....................80

B6. Bagged oyster shell breakwater raw data for incident wave periods .....................80

B7. Transmitted wave height of bagged oyster shell breakwater raw
experimental data for an incident wave height of 0.10 m (0.30 ft)
and a period of 1.34 sec as a function of structure geometry ................................81

B8. Transmitted wave period of bagged oyster shell breakwater raw
experimental data for an incident wave height of 0.10 m (0.30 ft)
and a period of 1.34 sec as a function of structure geometry ................................82

B9. Transmitted wave height of bagged oyster shell breakwater raw
experimental data for an incident wave height of 0.16 m (0.52 ft)
and a period of 2.03 sec as a function of structure geometry ................................83

B10. Transmitted wave period of bagged oyster shell breakwater raw
experimental data for an incident wave height of 0.16 m (0.52 ft)
and a period of 2.03 sec as a function of structure geometry ................................83

B11. Concrete pyramid control average wave properties...............................................84

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B12. Concrete pyramid single row test data average of all gages ..................................92

B13. Concrete pyramid offset double row experimental test data ...............................100

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B14. ReefBLK raw experimental data for controls ..................................................108

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B15. ReefBLK raw experimental data of transmitted wave properties ....................116

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Page

1. University of South Alabama wave basin with splitter wall
installed and graded beach face in preparation for testing the
bagged oyster shell .................................................................................................12

2. Completed oyster shell bag having a nominal diameter of 0.076 m
(3 in) and 0.76 m (30 in) in length. ........................................................................13

3. Grain size distribution findings for oyster shell used in the bagged
oyster shell breakwater provided by Southern Earth Sciences ..............................14

4. Cross-section of the bagged oyster shell breakwater with pertinent
variables defined. ...................................................................................................16

5. University of South Alabama wave basin setup for conducting
experimental testing of the concrete pyramids ......................................................17

6. Single row configuration of model concrete pyramids in the
University of South Alabama wave basin ..............................................................18

7. Offset double row configuration of model concrete pyramids in the
University of South Alabama wave basin ..............................................................18

8. Cross-sectional diagram of the concrete pyramids showing the
dimensional measurements used for analysis ........................................................20

9. The University of South Alabama wave basin setup for conducting
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the experimental testing of the ReefBLK units ..................................................21

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10. Plan view of the ReefBLK breakwater configuration with the
crest width measurement defined...........................................................................22

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11. Plan view of model ReefBLK with dimensions .................................................23

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