Chapter 4
Hydrodynamic Models
“Engineering ingenuity has extended scale model technology beyond and often aside from the formal rules dictated by dimensional analysis leading to widely accepted world-wide practices
that differ little from one place to another.” ...Bernard
Le Méhauté (1990)
Previous chapters have laid the theoretical foundation for conducting
scaled physical model investigations of coastal phenomena. Beginning with
this chapter, we venture into some of the practical aspects of designing and
conducting coastal physical scale models.
Many coastal engineers would chose to perform scale model studies to
support their designs if time and budget allowed; but the decision to conduct a physical model study must be based on a clear perception of what
can be achieved with the model for the costs involved. Although this may
sound like a fairly straightforward task, coastal experimental studies can be
quite complex, and often experience is the single most important factor contributing to a successful modeling study. This point has been emphasized
by practically everyone who has accumulated any experience in physical
modeling as illustrated by the following quotations:
The problem of similitude is far from simple, and there are no
standard solutions. The engineer has at his disposal a number
of complex means that he must be able to handle with skill. The
better he is acguainted with the tools, the more effective and
economical the solution will be. (Le Méhauté 1976).
One cannot come up with a list of rules on how io achieve the
best possible solution for conventional modeling of hydraulic phenomenon. Indeed, each particular case has Us own peculiarities
Hydrodynamic Models
“Engineering ingenuity has extended scale model technology beyond and often aside from the formal rules dictated by dimensional analysis leading to widely accepted world-wide practices
that differ little from one place to another.” ...Bernard
Le Méhauté (1990)
Previous chapters have laid the theoretical foundation for conducting
scaled physical model investigations of coastal phenomena. Beginning with
this chapter, we venture into some of the practical aspects of designing and
conducting coastal physical scale models.
Many coastal engineers would chose to perform scale model studies to
support their designs if time and budget allowed; but the decision to conduct a physical model study must be based on a clear perception of what
can be achieved with the model for the costs involved. Although this may
sound like a fairly straightforward task, coastal experimental studies can be
quite complex, and often experience is the single most important factor contributing to a successful modeling study. This point has been emphasized
by practically everyone who has accumulated any experience in physical
modeling as illustrated by the following quotations:
The problem of similitude is far from simple, and there are no
standard solutions. The engineer has at his disposal a number
of complex means that he must be able to handle with skill. The
better he is acguainted with the tools, the more effective and
economical the solution will be. (Le Méhauté 1976).
One cannot come up with a list of rules on how io achieve the
best possible solution for conventional modeling of hydraulic phenomenon. Indeed, each particular case has Us own peculiarities