• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.54-62
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• 2009

The present study investigates the behaviour of overtopping flows falling on the leeside of a caisson breakwater with dissipating blocks through laboratory measurements. The falling overtopping flows in the leeside are expected to directly affect the leeside stability of the breakwater. This study focuses on not the resultant stability but the characteristic pattern of the overtopping flows depending on wave conditions through examining front velocity and plunging distance in the leeside. Regular waves were used to investigate the dependence of the overtopping flow pattern on wave conditions and a modified image velocimetry combining the shadowgraphy and cross-correlation method was employed for measurements of image and velocity. From the measurements, it is shown that the plunging distance and front velocity of the overtopping flow in the breakwater leeside increase as the wave period or height increases. From non-dimensional relationships between the variables, empirical formula for the velocity and overtopping distance are suggested.