Field Assessment of Seawater Exchange Breakwater

The performance of the 60 m long seawater exchange caissons installed in the west breakwater for the Port of Jeju in Korea was assessed using field data. Measurements were made of the water level in the ponding area between the weir and caisson walls and of the water velocities in the two channels located at the bottom of the caisson for a two-month duration in winter. The measured water level and velocity were analyzed in conjunction with the wave data that was concurrently obtained. The measured landward velocity in the channel in the range of 0.0 to 0.6 m/s is correlated to the measured water level and wave conditions. The velocity of the order of 0.1 m/s can transport a large volume of seawater from the sea side to the port side under most tide and wave conditions at this site. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)WW.1943-5460.0000058. (C) 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers.