ANMM Wave Screen Testing
Client: Australian National Maritime Museum
Year: 2006-2007
Project References: 06035, 06066, 07029
WRL Technical Reports: Wavescreen Design Testing At Museum Quay Marina, Darling Harbour (2006/16)
Museum Quay Marina, Darling Harbour: 3D Wave Basin Testing of Entrance Conditions (2007/27)
A new marina is proposed to be constructed inside Darling Harbour; one of the busiest harbours for ferry and commuter watercraft in Australia. As these vessels move within the harbour they create wake waves which subsequently impact other moored and floating structures. The extent and magnitude of the effects of wakes generated from passing vessels, is proportional to the energy within the wake wave.
The Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM) is currently investigating the optimal design configuration for a Museum Quay Marina located within Darling Harbour. The Water Research Laboratory was commissioned by ANMM to conduct a three stage physical modelling program for a number of wavescreen breakwater configurations to both protect the marina, and minimise wave reflections onto neighbouring stakeholders.
The wavescreen breakwater was to have a two-walled design; composed of a porous front wall (on the exposed side of the marina) and a non-porous back wall (that forms the marina interior) separated by some distance. A walkway is to be placed on top of these walls for public access to moored vessels.
The first stage of the modelling program involved optimisation of the separation distance between the two walls of the wave screen and the porosity of the front wall. This study was undertaken at a scale of 1:10 as a 2D physical model in the 1 m flume.
The second stage of testing involved the construction of a 3D model of the marina; built in a wave basin at a scale of 1:30. Two design configurations were tested under monochromatic waves, from two directions for three wave periods. Individual tests were undertaken to determine the performance of both marina configurations under attack from the wakes created by passing vessels. The transmitted wave height (experienced by moored vessels within the marina) was recorded for each test.
Finally, the third stage of the modelling program involved testing of two revised marina configurations; for these designs the breakwater did not have a porous front wall. Again, a 3D model of the marina was built in a wave basin, this time at a scale of 1:15. Testing focused on the performance of the marina breakwater configurations in attenuating the transmission of incident wake waves. Tests were conducted in the same manner as the 1:30 scale basin model. The transmitted wave height inside the marina was measured at seven discrete locations; allowing quantitative documentation of the performance of each marina configuration under wake wave attack from passing vessels in Darling Harbour.
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