Hydro-geotechnical performance of rubble mound breakwaters - a literature review

This report describes the hydrodynamic and geotechnical phenomena which govern the performance and stability of rubble mound breakwaters when subjected to wave action. A comprehensive review of literature relevant to the subject is presented. Physical and numerical modelling techniques are discussed and their respective limitations are highlighted. It is noted that there have been significant advances in computer modelling techniques in recent years, but that measurements of prototype flows and pore pressure distributions are extremely sparse. There is a substantial requirement to define more accurately, using physical models and instrumented prototype structures, empirical relationships upon which many numerical models depend.