Surface waves can cause significant erosion of vulnerable coastlines. Where protection from waves is important, it is common to build bottom structures that cause waves to break and lose energy before they reach the shore. However, wave breaking is often associated with significant sediment transport due to strong wave-induced currents.
Recent theory suggests that a permeable bottom, such as a layer of coarse gravel or larger stones, can be very effective in attenuating long surface waves.
The main aim of this Master's project is to investigate experimentally the damping of surface waves propagating over porous media, using the hydrodynamics laboratory here at UiO.
The project is a collaboration between the Department of Geosciences and the Department of Mathematics, with links to the ocean forecasting group at MET Norway.
