3-D Breakwater Head tests at Delft Hydraulics
10 august 2004
A 3-D Head test was performed at Delft Hydraulics in August 2004. This test is supplementary to the extensive physical model tests already undertaken for the development of the Xbloc® and a number of project specific studies.
Previously, the design rule for an Xbloc® breakwater head was based on common practice with single layer armour units. The units of the breakwater head were designed with a unit weight which was 125 % higher then the unit weight for units on the trunk. The model tests at Delft Hydraulic confirmed that this weight factor can safely be applied for the design of the Xbloc® armour layer on a breakwater head.
In addition the progression of damage on the armour layer of the breakwater head was also analysed in the same 3-D hydraulic model tests.
3-D head test report (pdf; 791 Kb)