The 29.5x28.0x1.6 m wave basin is uses to perform physical model test (large beach morphology, comple harbour and coastal or offshore structures) in a controlled environment, under operational and extreme wave conditions.
A central 4.0x4.0x4.5 m pit is suitable for the offshore application studies. The size of the basin allows different set-up/structure design to be tested with minimizing scale effects. The configuration of the basin allows to simulate fixed- and moveable-bed.
The facility includes an instrumentation bridge facility that spans the entire length of the basin. The bridge serves as a rigid platform to mount instruments and observe experiments. It can be positioned by the control computer to any desired alongshore location with adjustable speed, allowing to test beat hulls configurations and even airplanes or helicopter ditching.
The data acquisition software controls and analyses data from the available equipment consisting of pressure transducers, accelerometers and wave gauges. More instruments can be deployed.
The multi-element wavemaker consists of 56 individually-controlled electric piston paddles and can be used to produce unidirectional and directional wave fields, regular waves and wave spectra in three dimensions. The paddles are equipped with active wave absorption system to remove the unwanted reflected wave energy.
Regular waves of up to H=0.50 m and T=2.2 s and irregular waves of up to Hs = 0.25 and Ts =2.2 s can be generated in water depths of up to 1.0 m. The depth at the pit is added for offshore studies.
