Aquacultural Engineering 5 (1986) 271-286

On a Wave Dissipation Method for Offshore Aquaculture Areas

S. W. Twu, R. C. Kao and H. H. H w u n g
Hydraulics and Ocean Engineering Department and Graduate School, Cheng-Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. ROC

ABSTRACT This paper describes a proposed flexible floating structure to provide a method of wave dissipation for an aquaculture area. 7he structure is mainly made of net-tubes which are filled with floating balls. A number of ways of placement for the flexible structure have been investigated in hydraulic model studies and the results are presented in this paper. From these studies it is conchMed that ira certain number of rows of these floating structures are connected with proper spacings, then the complex floating structure will serve as a good wave sheltering system for an offshore aquaculture area.

INTRODUCTION
With the continued growth of industry and the steady increase of population in the past few decades, Taiwan has a strong feeling of deficiency of resources of all kinds. It is desirable for the Republic of China (ROC) government to take measures to obtain resources to satisfy their needs. One way is to extend fisheries to distant oceans. But this goal has been limited by the policies of economic sea areas of foreign countries, Thus fishery extension projects have been confined to local waters, and other ways of fishery development have to be sought. Development of near-shore aquaculture areas in the vicinity of Taiwan therefore takes place. This is a fairly good idea, but another problem arises. Wave conditions in nearby sea areas off Taiwan are unfavorable for aquaculture expansion.
271 Aquacultural Engineering 0144-8609/86/S03.50-- Elsevier Applied Science Publishers Ltd, England, 1986. Printed in Great Britain

272

S. W. Twu, R. C Kao, H. H. Hwung

The Tropic of Cancer lies across the middle of Taiwan. The climate ought to be subtropical. However, in winter the weather is colder in comparison with other localities of the same latitude. The reason is that Mongolian anticylones occur in the vicinity of Lake Baikal every five or six days in the winter and move southeast. High pressure and steep pressure gradients cause monsoons which blow over the East China Sea and Taiwan Strait and send cold air to Taiwan from October to April. The duration of winds exceeding 5 m s-t has been recorded to be more than 50 days. On the other hand this island cannot escape tropical disasters. Typhoons attack or approach Taiwan along various routes, as shown in Fig. 1, from early summer to October or even November. Calm water can only be expected in April, May and June.

Fig. I.

Approach routes of Typhoons(1897-1983).

On a wave dissipation method for offshore aquaculture areas

273

With the exception of the southern coast, every coast of Taiwan suffers from monsoon waves continuously in the winter. In this season significant wave heights are estimated to be 3 m on average, with periods of around 10 s. In summer, almost all the coasts of Taiwan are subject to the menace of attack by typhoon-generated waves. During the typhoon period, immense waves exceeding 10 m have occurred quite often. Therefore, the aquaculture areas have suffered serious wave attack problems. If the aquaculture areas are to be developed, some wave dissipation measures must be taken. For economic reasons and because of deficient porosity, the traditional wave sheltering structures such as breakwaters are not suitable for wave reduction for aquaculture areas. Therefore, an array of net-tubes and buoyant balls has been presented for this purpose. In comparison with breakwaters, the array of net-tubes and buoyant balls does not have as good a wave reducing capability because of high porosity. However, some methods for improving wave dissipation can be provided. A couple of these methods will be discussed in this paper.

THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS Theoretically, some properties of the array of net-tubes and buoyant balls, such as draught and the natural period of oscillation, are considered as having visible influence on wave dissipation ability. For example, according to Airy's wave theory, 80% of the wave energy is distributed within one fourth of the depth from the surface. So structures in the upper part of the ocean will dissipate larger amounts of energy than those in the lower part. Therefore, the draught depth of a structure in water is considered to be an important factor in its wave dissipation ability. Waves behind the movable perforated structure are generated by two sources: one is the direct transmission of waves and another is the waves made by oscillation of the structure. So if there is a phase lag of just ~ degrees between incident waves and the oscillation of the structure, the wave crest of the former will meet with the wave trough of the latter. A small wave or even calm water surface, depending on the relative wave height, will be predicted. Generally speaking, there is always a time lag between the incident waves and the oscillation of the

274

S. W. Twu, R. C Kao, H. H. Hwung

structure. The amount of time lag depends mainly on the ratio of the natural period of the structure (Tn) to the period of incident wave (T) and also on the resistant force to movement of the structure. The relationship of phase lag to T,/T and resistant force is shown in Fig. 2. However, the natural period of the structure has a close relation to its mass and rigidity. According to theo~', to increase mass with other factors remaining constant will increase the natural period of the structure, and then the phase angle increases. However, when the mass of balls is increased, its returning force, i.e. buoyant force minus its weight, is decreased. This means its resistant force is decreased too, and the decreased resistant force will result in a decreasing of the phase angle when the phase angle is smaller than 7r/2. Furthermore, the phase angle will have a direct effect on the damping efficiency. Therefore, if the specific gravity of the buoyant balls is reduced, it is not clear whether the wave damping efficiency will be increased or decreased. This is a debatable problem and will be examined in the experimental studies later. If a structure in fluid is to be accelerated, a force must be given to the structure and the fluid around it. This can be presented as

F=(m+m')a
180
f d

150

120"

iii I I , s / " e~" II / .,. ql / ' /

;,,,
90"

,Yl
zero friction

.o. .,c.@c, o.,,oO,/,__ !I

E e~

30. ?, X//'
I 41~// 0
Fig. 2. Relationship between d and T~/7-.

T,~/T

On a wave dissipation method for offshore aquaculture areas

275

in which Fis the acting force, a the acceleration of the structure, m the mass of the structure and rn' the added mass. m' has a close relation to the shape of the structure. For example, a spherical body has an added mass of one half the mass of fluid displaced by the sphere, and bodies of other shapes will have a larger a d d e d mass than the spherical shape. According to the previous equation, it" the same wave force is acting, the body' with larger added mass will show an increase of phase angle and thus increase the wave dissipation efficiency. Theoretically two or three rows of arrays of net tubes and floating balls should have a better dissipation ability than a single row. If the two or three rows of devices are connected by wires and the spacing between them is kept as one half of the wave length, the best dissipation efficiency should be obtained. T h e reason is that the water particles at the wave crest section are progressing in the direction of the wave's advance, but the water particles at the wave trough section are progressing in the reverse direction. So if two rows of devices are vertically floated in water and spaced with one half of the wave length, with wire connecting them, then while one row is acting with forward force, the other is acting with backward force, and so they offset each other. In this situation these two rows of floating structures function just like a fLxed body and the dissipation ability is increased. If the combination of two rows of these floating structures were used to protect the aquaculture area from large wave attack, and these two rows were connected by wires to keep a certain distance between them, then this joined structure would have a better wave dissipation effect for the waves of a certain period, corresponding to the spacing between the two rows of array, than to the waves of other periods. However, there are waves covering a wide range of periods in the open sea and the spacing between the rows of the structures could not be adjusted as the wave periods change. To solve this problem, a series of a certain n u m b e r of rows of the flexible structures, say five or six, can be placed, with spacings selected according to the proper wave period occurring in the aquaculture area. T h e wave length can be calculated by
L = gT~- tanh 2S___d

2~

276

S. la'i Twu, R. C. Kao. H. H. Hwung

or by first calculating the wave length in deep water(L,) by L, = gT2.,z = l'56T:(m) = 5'12T 2 (ft) then finding the d/L value in the table from the known value of d/L~, where T is the wave period and d and L the water depth and wave length respectively, in the area. So when the N periods, say T~, T 2. . . . . TN, are selected as the design wave periods, then the corresponding wave lengths, say L l, L : , . . . , Lx, can be calculated. In order to gain a high damping efficiency, N + I rows of the floating structures, with spacing L~/2, L2/2 . . . . , L x~2 between each two rows, can be placed. All these previous theoretical considerations have been studied in the model test and are presented in the following section.

E X P E R I M E N T A L STUDIES The experimental studies on the wave damping efficiency of the array of net-tubes and floating balls have been carried out in two flumes. The first flume is made entirely of concrete, with dimensions of 50 m length, 1.0 m width and 1.0 m depth. The second flume is made of concrete with dimensions of 75 m length, 1"0 m width and 1"2 m depth. One side of it was cast with a sheet of glass 36 m long for observing the experiments. Both the flumes have a wave generator with an AC motor of 7.5 HP, by which a wave paddle is oscillated through a linkage, controlled by a continuous speed changer. The wave heights and periods can be obtained by adjustment. The wave periods generated range from 0"6 s to 4.0 s. A wave recorder contains a 6-channel pen oscillograph with amplifier which can continuously record water surface oscillation detected by parallel wire, resistance type wave gauges. These wave gauges can transfer the variation of wave heights into the variation of electric current, then record it by wave recorder after it has been magnified and filtered. Through the signal variation recorded by the wave recorder, the wave amplitude can be estimated by rating curve. The wave flume and the model are shown in Fig. 3.

On a wave dissipation method for off.'shore aquaculture areas

277

30

40

"

. . . 2 . . o . . . . . : .: ~ - - . . . ~ - ~
lllt.\XllAVlX% "~IIAVIAglAyIA ~/l,~",Vit~k't/,,~x,~i i l ~ " . Y l A ",

5'/,g-,V/,<N',/.&\ x/,-/

Fig. 3. Sketchof wave flume.

Before the model investigation, the wave heights and periods in the flume are rated, so that according to the rating curve the desired wave heights and periods can be adjusted and generated at any time. T h e water depth in the model region ranged from 20 cm to 55 cm in these studies. T h e wave periods ranged from 0"8 s to 2.4 s and the wave heights from ,=" cm to -o'~ " cm, dependin~ on the water depth. T h e first problem to be studied was to compare the wave damping efficiency between the horizontal placing and vertical placing of the floating structure, when the same amounts of structural material are used in both cases (Fig. 41). T h e results have been presented in graph form in Figs 5-8. In these figures, K means the ratio of wave height behind the structure to the incident wave height and is called the wave transmission coefficient. Yb is the specific gravity of the floating balls casting in the net-tubes; q = h / d is the width ratio of the structure as shown in Fig. 4(a) where they are placed horizontally; q also means the draught depth ratio as shown in Fig. 4(b), where they are placed vertically; d is the water depth and L is the wave length. In each one of these figures two straight curves are graphed by' the least square method. T h e broken lines represent the results of a horizontally placed case and the solid lines represent that of a vertically placed case. These figures show that the damping efficiency of the vertical case is better than that of the horizontal case. From these figures we also realized that the deeper the site where the structure is placed, the lower the wave transmission which is obtained for the vertical case if h i d is kept constant. But for the horizontal case, there is a constant relationship between K and d / L for constant value of width ratio. T h e wave damping ability of the horizontally placed structure is not as good as that of the vertical one, therefore the research work for the horizontal case is omitted hereafter.

278

S. 14"i Twu. R. C. Kao. H. H. H w u n g

/ / A N~///~, "--Y/A",Y/X',. "//,<'xYZX'xYl

(o)

(b)

//AY//gx,y/,K'~/A'NY'/A",, y / /
Cc)

//,X',,Y/,,<NY/Ax)z/.X",,Y/,,<NY/,,ex \
(d)

L,--.L.--~Y / T

L2

=1~

L3

"/

L,

:1_,,..~

(e)
Fig. 4. Several placement methods for the flexible structure.

K
1.0

0.9

.x.

0.8

0.7 0.6

q=0.5

7b= 0.3
I 0. I I 0.2 i 0.3 I 0.4 L 0.5 ' 0.6 ~ d/L

Fig. 5.

Relationship between wave transmission coefficient and relative depth.

On a aave dissipation method for offshore aquaculture areas

K I.C

279

0.9

08 q=0.4 07 ~=0.3 s 0 I I 0.2 E 0.3 I 0.4 I 0.5 I 0.6 d/L

06

Fig. 6.

Relationship between wave transmission coefficient and relative depth.

K 1.0 x x ,,

0.9

",x

0.8

':

"

0.7

q = 0.5
)"b= 0.3

0.~

01 I

I 0.2

r 0.3

I 0,4

L 0.5

L 0.6

d/L

Fig. 7.

Relationship between wave transmission coefficient and relative depth.

K 1.0
X X X

0.9

~k. x

0.8

0.7

q = 0.6 ;,'b= 0 . 3

0.6

, O. I

a 0.2

I 0.3

~ 0.4

i 0,5

I 0.6

d/L

Fig. 8.

Relationship bep,veen ,,,,ave transmission coefficient and relative depth.

280

S. 144.Twu, R. C Kao, H. H. Hwung

The next problem to be studied in the hydraulic model was the effect of the specific gravity of the floating balls on the wave damping ability. Four cases of specific gravity, Yb= 0-9, Yb= 0.7, ?'b = 0-5 and Yb= 0-3 have been tested and the results are shown by straight lines in Figs 9, 10 and 11. These figures show that the relationskip of wave damping ability to specific gravity of the floating structures is not as good as expected. However, they still show a rough trend that the floating structures, having low specific gravity, share a small wave transmission coefficient in shallow water. The third problem to be discussed is the relationship of the transmission coefficient with wave steepness, which is the ratio of wave

K 1.0 0.9
0.8 Tb=

q ,= 0.9 ~ b= 0.9 Yb= 0.3 0.7

0.7 0.6
J 0.1 i 0.2 t 0.3 i 0.4 i 0.5 ' 0.6

Yb= 0.5
d/L

Fig, 9.

Relationship of specific gravity of flexible structure to wave transmission coefficient.

K 1.0 0.9 q=0.5 0.8 0.7 0.6

O. I 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6

Yb =0-5

Fig. 10.

Relationship of specific gravity of flexible structure to wave transmission coefficient.

On a wave dissipation rnethod for offshore aquaculture areas

K

28 1

0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5

Fig. 1 1.
I 0. I i 0.2 I 0..3 i 0.4 I 0.5 I 0.6

0"6

7 0.3 ",0.5
~

d/L

Relationship of specific gravity of flexible structure to wave transmission coefficient.

height to wave length H / L . T h e experimental data have been plotted as Figs 12, 13 and 14. T h e s e figures show that the wave transmission coefficient decreases with the increase of wave steepness. This means that the floating structures have a better wave d a m p i n g ability for the larger waves, and this p h e n o m e n o n will benefit the aquaculture areas. Because it is flexible, the floating net-tube structure is always waved as the attacking waves pass. T h e structure's oscillations may diminish its wave dissipation efficiency. A n investigation of functions of the wire c o n n e c t o r s between two rows of this floating structure has been

K 1.0 0.9. 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5

2

q=o.5
yb= 0.5

x I0 2

Fig. 12.

Relationship between wave transmission coefficient and wave steepness.

282

S. W. Twu, R. C. Kao, H. H. Hwung

K
l.O

0.9 0.8
o

0.7 0.6

q-0.4

7b= 0 . 5
' ; ' ,~ '

'

l, ' ',ox,o,*"'/"

Fig. 13.

Relationship between wave transmission coefficient and wave steepness.

1.0 0.9 0.8 0.7

8,o

'D~

0.6
q - 0.6

0.5 0.4 I

;b" 0.5

4i

'

I IOxlO z

"

Hi/L

Fig. 14.

Relationship between wave transmission coefficient and wave steepness.

performed. In this study two rows of floating structures have been placed in the wave flume with spacing of one half of the wave length. Two cases have been tested. They are with wires and without wires connecting the two rows of structure, respectively, as in Figs 4(c) and (d). The results with wires have been shown in Fig. 15 and those without wires in Fig. 16. The comparison has been made in Fig. 17. It has been proved that the connecting wires increase the wave damping ability of the floating structure. These two rows of floating structures, with a certain spacing and wires connecting them, will have better wave damping ability only for

On a wave dBsipation method for offshore aquacuimre areas

K 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 Fig. 15.
O'.I ' 0 ,'2 i 03 0 .' 4 ~ 5 ' 0.6 " d/L

283

B=2

S/L=I/2
q=0.6

Wave transmission coefficient through two r o w s of floating structures with wires connected.

K I.O
I

o.si
0.8 0.7 06i

"

B=2

~
~ -

_.....L

q=0.6

~ - . o.~

o.,

0.2

oi~

oi~

o.~

o16

= (:ILL

Fig. 16.

Wave transmission coefficient through two rows of floating structures without wires connected.

K 1.0
0.9 ~.~/(,b)~'[a) B= 2 SIL = I12

0.8
0.7

--%
~ 01 .i ~, 0.2 A, 0.3 ~ o.4 f 0.5 I o6

q = 0.6

b= o.3

0.6

~ d/L

Fig. 17.

Comparison of wave transmission coefficient between the cases ~a) without wires and (b) with wires.

284

S. Vvl Twu, R. C. Kao. H. H. H~ng

waves of a certain period. For waves of other periods, the connecting wires do not contribute to the damping efficiency. Actually, in the open sea, the aquaculture area will encounter waves of a wide range of periods and not a specific period. To face this problem, a certain number of periods, say T~, T,,..., T.,,. may be chosen, according to the distribution condition of wave periods at the area. Then the corresponding wave lengths, say L~, L , _ , . . . , Lx, are calculated. Take half of these wave lengths, L[/2, L,_/2. . . . . L;./2, as the spacings of the N + I rows of floating structures. T h e n this complex set of floating structures is considered to function well for all periods, in a certain range, of waves. In this paper, four wave periods, 0-8, 1-2, 1.6 and 1.8 s, were chosen as the design wave periods. So five rows of the floating structures were placed in the wave flume and were connected with wires, with spacings L~/2, L2/2, L3/2 and L4/2 between them. After a series of model tests of wave periods ranNng from 0"8 to 2"0 s, the results were plotted in Fig. 18 as represented by the solid line curve. In this figure another curve, in a broken line, represents the results of the same floating structures but without the connecting wires between them.

0.312 ,

0.2t9 .

0.167 . .

0.139 .

0.119 . .

0.104

0.092
d/L

0.9
K 0.8 0.7 06
0

0 o o o 0

0...
0 0

O~ o
o

0 o

0
o

0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2

0 . . . .

x without with
[ , L

wires

0. t
[

x
l

~lres
L ,[ 1 L I I I I ' =

0.8

I.O

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

2.0

Fig. 18.

Wave transmission through five rows of floating structures.

On a wave dissipation method for offshore aquaculture areas

285

DISCUSSION A N D C O N C L U S I O N S (1) If the floating structure presented in this paper is t o be used in an aquaculture area to damp invasive waves, it is better to place them vertically than horizontally. (2) From Figs 5, 6 . 7 and 8, we realize that, for vertical placing of the structure, the deeper the site where the structure is placed, the lower the wave transmission coefficient obtained, if h/d is kept constant. But this does not mean that it is more economic to place them in deeper water than in shallow water, because the draught h, which indicates the amount of material, will be increased as the water depth is increased when h/d is kept constant. (3) The specific gravity of the floating structure presented in this paper is not a dominant factor in the wave damping ability of the structure. (4) The wave transmission through this floating structure decreases as the wave steepness, H/L, increases. This means that the floating net-tubes have a better wave damping ability for the larger waves, and it is easy to see that these characteristics will do well in the aquaculture areas. (5) For a certain wave length, L, the two rows of floating structures with spacing L/2 between them and wires connecting the two rows will have a better wave damping efficiency than those without the connecting wires. (6) Actually in application to an aquaculture area, we can choose a proper number of wave lengths, say L~, L_~ . . . . , L,~, which are based on the wave conditions at that area. Then N + I rows of the floating structures as presented in this paper, with spacings of LI/2, L2/2 ..... L,~/2 between each two and connections with wires as in Fig. 4(e), can be placed before the site of the aquaculture area. This complex structure will serve as a good wave sheltering structure for that area.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT This investigation was supported by the Council of Agriculture ROC. Appreciation is expressed to Mr H. C. Tsao, engineer of the Bureau of

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S. w. Twu, R. C. Kao. H. H. Hwung

Fisheries, Taiwan, for several informative conversations on floating structures. BIBLIOGRAPHY Giles, M. L. (1979). Determination of mooring loads and wave transmission for a floating tire breakwater. Speciality Conf on Coastal Structures, Alexandria, Virginia, 2, 1069-86. Harris, A. J. & Webber, N. B. (1968). A floating breakwater. Proc. llth Conf. on Coastal Engineering, 2, 1049-54. Ippen, A. T. (1966), Estuary and Coastline Hydrodynarnics, McGraw-Hill, New York. Kato, J., Hagino, S. & Uekcta, Y. (1966). Damping effect of floating breakwater to which anti-rolling system is applied. Proc. lOth Conf. on Coastal Engineering, 2, 1068-78. Kennedy, R. J. & Marsalek, J. (1968). Flexible porous floating break-waters. Proc. l l th Conf. on Coastal Engineering, 2, 1095-103. Marks, W. (1966). A perforated mobile breakwater for fixed and floating applications. Proc. lOth Conf. on Coastal Engineering, 2, 1079-129. Terrett, F. L. (1966). Model studies of a perforated breakwater. Proc. llth Conf on Coastal Engineering, 2, 1104-20. Wiegel, R. L. (1960). Transmission of wave past a rigid vertical thin barrier. J. Waterways and Harbors Division, 86, I - 12. Wiegel, R. L. & Chen, K. (1970). Floating breakwater for reservoir marinas. Proc. 12th Conf. on Coastal Engineering, 3, 1647-66.