ERDC/CHL CHETN-III-69
March 2004
Figure 1. Pocket wave absorber at Pentwater, MI
Strengths and limitations of the physical model experiments are summarized in Table 1. The
experiments were conducted under controlled conditions, enabling various experimental parameters
to be changed and evaluated relative to pocket wave absorber performance. Wave gauges were
initially placed adjacent to the jetty on both the lakeside and harbor side of the pocket wave absorber
to determine percent dissipation. However, observed nonuniformity across the channel width
prompted additional experiments in which 3-gauge arrays were placed across the channel width
lakeward of the pocket and at two locations landward of the pocket. Incident waves were generated
to produce near-breaking heights, prototype wave periods ranging from 5.2 sec to 6.7 sec, and wave
angles of 0, 15, and 30 deg relative to the channel alignment. Although most experiments were
performed with a single pocket, several other configurations were constructed and evaluated
(Figure 2). Waves were reproduced by a plunger-type wave machine that was capable of producing
only monochromatic waves.
Table 1
Strengths and Limitations, Available Physical Model Experiments
Strengths
Limitations
Controlled experiments with accurate measurements
Unidirectional, monochromatic waves
Multiple gauges
No incident wave data lakeward of entrance
Multiple incident wave conditions
Flat bottom, rather than representative channel bathymetry
Multiple pocket configurations
No river currents
2
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