Estimation of Wave Transmission Through Flushing Culverts in Breakwaters

In the present paper a Coupled-Mode System Model is used for the numerical simulation of wave transmission through flushing culverts. Numerical results are presented for waves propagating over regions with submerged breakwaters, simulating flushing culverts that are never perfectly filled with water. These are compared with a series of 64 experiments, for different wave conditions and/or geometrical characteristics of the openings. The present numerical approach has given good comparisons with more than the 50% of the experimental data. Deviations were observed when simulating steeper waves and/or narrower culverts, enabling the identification of the cases where the increased effects of nonlinearity, the generation of higher harmonics and 3D effects are important and should be taken into account. Nevertheless, the present model can be used as a useful starting tool in calculating efficiently the effectiveness of a flushing culvert in terms of maintaining water quality in a harbor basin.