Bragg Resonance of Surface Gravity Waves by Surface-Piercing Vertical Multi-Plate Breakwaters

Abstract The interaction between surface gravity waves and surface-piercing vertical multi-plate breakwaters in finite water depth is investigated under the assumption of potential flow. The time-domain desingularized boundary integral equation method (DBIEM) is adopted to solve the boundary value problem. A decomposition method based on the superposition principle is used to obtain reflected waves. The effect of the vertical plates as a floating breakwater by making full use of Bragg resonance is analyzed. Firstly, the waveforms calculated without breakwaters are compared with the second-order Stokes regular waves to obtain the appropriate desingularization distance. Then, the interaction of surface gravity waves with the breakwaters of single plate, double and triple plates are analyzed. The transmission and reflection coefficients of the breakwater of single plate are verified with the analytical solutions in the literature. The transmission and reflection coefficients of the breakwaters of double and triple plates are verified with the experimental results. Finally, the transmission and reflection coefficients of surface-piercing vertical multi-plate breakwaters with different plate numbers and drafts are calculated. The occurring condition of Bragg resonance and its values affected by the plate number and the draft are analyzed. The present results have reference values for the optimal design of vertical plates as a floating breakwater for offshore and coastal engineering applications by fully using Bragg resonance.