Violent water-structure interaction: Overtopping features and vertical loads on a fixed structure due to broken incident flows

This paper presents an alternative experimental study of the interaction of broken flows with a fixed structure, concerning the overtopping features and vertical loads over its deck. Wet dam-break tests were carried out to generate incoming flows. Synchronized measurements provided by high-speed cameras, water elevation and force sensors, were used to investigate the influence of tank length in overtopping behaviour and the patterns and loads formed by wet dam-break flows generated by different conditions. During some of the overtopping events analysed, large scale plunging waves were observed, hitting the deck directly and forming large air cavities. These events generated violent interactions with the structure, causing significant loads and chaotic behaviour over the deck, due to the combination of air cavity collapse, reactive splash and run-down. The present approach could be employed as an alternative to study interactions of broken incident flows with different types of fixed structures, allowing the acquisition of detailed data to compare analytical or numerical models.