Limitations of the Yang’s breaking wave force formula and its improvement under a wider range of breaker conditions

Abstract

Abstract Some commonly used empirical formulas (e.g., Soviet CHиПII57-75, Ikeno-Tanaka, Führböter-Sparboom, and Stanczak) for estimating plunging breaker wave slamming pressure on sea dike surface do not take into account the comprehensive influence of the wave steepness, slope angle, and breaker height and depth on the loads, and the Yang formula eliminates the drawback. The Yang formula is derived based on an analysis of the impulse in the breaking wave tongue and the kinetic and potential energy in the wave tongue. But the limited range of the Yang formula is 0.5 ≤ ξ ≤ 3.3 and 0.01 ≤ tan α ≤ 0.44; otherwise, its prediction error will greatly increase. In addition, some parameters in the Yang formula need to be optimized. The aim of this project is to revise the Yang formula for improving its performance and making it suitable for a wider range of hydraulic conditions and bottom slope conditions. A constant term in the Yang formula is replaced by the function obtained by analysis, and the calculation method of breaking wave height in the formula is also changed. The resulting formula is of interest because the comparison of the formula with some measurements is done well.