Determination of Wave, Surge, and Ship Motion U. S. Naval Station Long Beach, California

Abstract

The wave and surge study, Contract NOy-13116, had as its ultimate objective the evaluation of the acceptable upper limits of water motion for different types of waterfront activities carried on in a modern harbor. Previous experience had made it clear that relc1lively little work had been done in this field and that few satisfactory instruments or techniques were available for the carrying out of such a program. Therefore, in order to obtain the objective, it seemed necessary first to decide what field measurements were pertinent; next to develop methods and instruments for obtaining the measurements, then to plan and carry out a measurement program, and finally, to analyze and evaluate the data obtained. Since the Los Angeles Harbor was a convenient location for the contractor, and since it is a major harbor with a wide scope of activities, it was chosen as the site for all of the field tests and measurements of the project. A secondary objective of this study grew out of the fact that a mole had been constructed recently to protect the area of the U. S. Naval Base within this harbor. This construction had been guided by a n extensive model study carried out at the California Institute of Technology. It was therefore fell desirable to ascertain, if possible, how nearly the protection afforded by this mole agreed with that predicted on the basis of the model study.