The wave generator consists of 80 paddles and is equipped with online Active Reflection Compensation, which effectively eliminates re-reflections of waves from the wave board. This means that waves propagating towards the wave board are measured and that the wave board compensates for these reflected waves. Also wave board control for random second-order waves is operational to compensate for spurious waves.

The Vinjé basin is equipped with Deltares' second-order wave computation software Delft-AUKE/generate, which has been developed in recent years by Deltares. This means that the second order effects of the first higher and first lower harmonics of the wave field are taken into account in the wave board motion. Second order wave generation is designed to suppress spurious waves in order to generate a true-to-nature wave field in the basin with little laboratory side effects. The software is capable of generating regular waves as well as irregular waves according to well-known frequency-directional distributions such as cos-m, cos-2s and normal as well as multi-peaked (user-defined) distributions.

Besides the reduction of the generation of spurious waves, it is very important to suppress the re-reflection of waves at the wave maker. To this end, the wave boards are equipped with wave gauges, which measure the wave height at the paddle. The wave gauge signals are used as input of the online Active Reflection Compensation algorithm, which identifies any reflected waves and instantaneously compensates the wave board motion to absorb these waves.

The finite length of a wave generator and the presence of reflective side walls create so-called shadow areas in the laboratory basin, which limit the effective basin area. The Side Wall Reflection method based on Dalrymple (J. Hyd. Res., 1989) accounts for the linear refraction, shoaling and diffraction effects and uses side wall reflection to generate a wave train at a specified location, which effectively increases the model area, which can be used.

Our experience in physical model studies of harbour structures is considerable. We are involved in studies on a diversity of coastal and offshore structures. In all of those studies aspects of armour stability, wave impact loading and the determination of the relevant hydraulic conditions for design purposes was of primary interest.

breakwaters; 3D stability, breakwater roundhead

jetties; wave pressures and wave forces on piles and deck of jetties

wave climate studies

wave penetration into harbours

moored ship studies

scour and mobile bed studies

coastal beach protection schemes