A simulation method to calculate deformation of submerged rubble mound structures is presented. The method consists of Volume of Fluid method(VOF) and Discrete Element Method(DEM). The method is verified by physical model experiments using glass spheres. The fluid force and setting method of DEM parameters are carefully examined An effective method to consider shape of rubble is also presented. The method can simulate the deformation of submerged rubble mound structures substantially.
In order to construct an economical and reasonable structure, design methods, which can take economical efficiency into consideration, is necessary. The performance based design that specifies the performance of a structure is one of the economical design methods. An economical design would be established by allowing deformation of a structure within limits which satisfy the performance demanded. Therefore, the deformation of a structure should be estimated quantitatively. Conventionally, this is done by hydraulic model tests. The model teats, however, have scale effects, and they might be expensive. Accordingly, the development of the numerical computation method for the deformation is useful for the performance based design. One of coastal and maritime structures with the higher applicability for the performance based design might be a sloping breakwater, an artificial leaf, or a rubble submerged breakwater. The inspection of the structure's deformation is also important under construction, because small rubble used in an under layer is exposed to relatively high waves, and the structure is unstable under construction. If the structures are damaged during their construction, the construction term is prolonged and the costs also increase. To avoid the risk under construction, prediction of the deformation is important. The prediction method of deformation for rubble structures was developed in this study. In this prediction method, fluid analysis and structure analysis are combined.
