Abstract:For the optimal design of a new type of artificial block featured with high permeability and the better understanding of its hydrodynamic characteristics, a numerical model based on Dualsphysics was conducted to simulate the regular wave transformation on the slope breakwater with this type of block. The numerical model was verified according to the measured data from the physical experiment, showing that the deviations between the numerical model and the measured data were less than 6% and 9%, respectively for wave run-up and wave overtopping, which demonstrated that the model was reliable to capture the wave evolution on the breakwater of artificial blocks. By using this model, the hydrodynamic performances of this block with different design details were analyzed, and the block design parameters including the optimal relationship between block radius and block length presenting the optimal wave-damping effect were determined. This selection was for the overall consideration of wave run-up, reflection, overtopping, block porosity and material consumption. It was revealed that the wave damping effects were mainly from holes existing between adjacent blocks which have a retarding effect on the climbing and falling of waves. These holes inside the blocks could accommodate the water and reduce the turbulence energy efficiently, which then contributed to reduce wave run-up. The results also indicated that the optimized TB-CUBE block climbing height increased with the increase of wave height and decrease of wave steepness. The wave run-up, however, revealed a unimodal curve with the rise of breakwater slope. Moreover, the empirical formula that could reflect the true wave climbing phenomenon on this type of artificial block was suggested through data-fitting in which the correlation coefficient was 0.981. This study paves the way for future application of this block in practice.