Seismic response and stability of breakwaters under seepage flows is studied in this paper. A series of model tests on the shaking table are performed to investigate the dynamic response and failure mechanism. A simplified method to determine the dynamic stability of slope protection under seepage flows is proposed. Experimental and computational results show that the effects of earthquake and seepage flow cannot be negligible in the design of breakwaters.
The previously studies of breakwaters were normally focusing on the static stability and strength. In general, dynamic response and seepage flows were not concerned in design. However, as the appm-tenant structures of the nuclear power stations, the function of many breakwaters is developed to keep cooling water from the seawater. Therefore, the safety of these breakwaters under seepage flows is also very impor~lt for the power stations. Unfortunately, there is rare of design codes for the breakwaters under both seismic loading and seepage flows (Pilarczyk 1990). In this research, the dynamic response and stability of a breakwater with a diaplwagm wall is investigated. Eight models scaled 1/20 are performed on the shaking table (Fig. 1). Meanwhile, a simplified method to calculate seisartie stability of breakwater slope protections trader seepage flows is proposed. Through experimental and computational investigation, the dynanlic stability and failure behaviors of breakwaters are fmaily determined. Results from model texts and computations all indicate that earthquake and seepage flows are significantly affect the safety of breakwaters.
Description of dynamic model experiments The purpose of model experiments is to reveal the dynamic response and stability, as well as the failure mechanism of breakwaters. The prototype is a mound breakwater with sloping faces. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the height of the breakwater is 12.5m and the top width is 14.0m.
