Author(s): Hani Ghasemi; Paul Brooks; John O'Sullivan; Ali Dastgheib; Md Salauddin
Linked Author(s): John D. OSullivan, Md Salauddin
Keywords: Artificial reefs; Wave attenuation; Nature-based solutions; Coastal resilience; Laboratory experiments
Abstract: Coastal regions are increasingly vulnerable to wave-induced hazards due to sea-level rise and intensified storm activity. Submerged artificial reef balls represent a nature-based solution capable of attenuating wave energy while supporting marine habitats. This study experimentally investigates the effect of longitudinal reef ball spacing on wave energy dissipation using long wave flume. Four spacing configurations (0.0–0.6 m) were tested under two water depths and both swell and storm wave conditions. Wave transmission coefficients were derived from surface elevation measurements upstream and downstream of the reef array. Results indicate that increasing spacing significantly enhances wave attenuation, with the 0.6 m configuration reducing wave transmission to 0.71 under swell and 0.62 under storm conditions, corresponding to up to 71% attenuation at shallower depths. These findings identify reef ball spacing as a key hydrodynamic design parameter for effective, nature-based coastal protection.
Year: 2026