Investigating the behavior of single-layer and double-layer cubic armour in low-crested/submerged breakwaters

Document Type : Original Article

Author

PhD candidate of civil engineering, sharif university of technology

Abstract

Cube-shaped armours are the first type of concrete armours used by humans. In the past, cubic blocks were used as a double-layers. The high consumption of concrete in double-layer cube-shaped armours made the idea of producing armours with an interlocking function that have corners and consume less concrete volume to be considered. For a long time, blocks with an interlocking were used in the armour layer, but due to some of their disadvantages, such as the possibility of breaking during transportation, the difficulty and complications of production, problems during installation, and difficulties related to the usage, caused renewed attention to cubic armours and other bulky armours. The use of cubic armours as a single layer has not been investigated much. Therefore, in this article, the behavior of single-layer cubic armours with regular and irregular placement and comparing its behavior with double-layer armours in low-crested/submerged breakwaters have been investigated. The results of the experiments showed that single-layer armours with regular placement perform relatively well and can be used instead of double-layer armours with irregular placement. While single-layer armour with irregular placement has a very poor performance against wave attact and the spread of damage in the armour layer occurs quickly in this case.

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