Hydraulic Model Experiments of Wave–Soil–Structure Interactions in a Drum Centrifuge
Hydraulic Model Experiments of Wave–Soil–Structure Interactions in a Drum Centrifuge
This paper demonstrates the effectiveness of drum-type centrifugal hydraulic model experiments for investigating wavesoilstructure interactions and stability of coastal or offshore structure-foundation systems. While conventional hydraulic flume experiments and beam-type centrifuge tests are limited by scale and domain size, the drum-type centrifuge overcomes these constraints by enabling prototype-scale stresses and expanded spatial domains. Physical modelling and scaling laws were applied to key offshore processes-including seepage flow both in the rubble mound and sand bed under tsunami overflow, pore pressure responses leading to liquefaction during wave loading, and gravity flow dynamics of clay slurries. Three experimental approaches are presented: tsunami overflow tests assessing breakwater resilience and sand transport through the mound induced by seepage flow, wave-induced liquefaction and associated subsidence of submerged rubble mounds, and sediment gravity flow tests under varying water content. Results reveal the effectiveness of breakwater reinforcement, mechanisms of wave-induced liquefaction and foundation sinking, and the effects of clay water content on the characteristics of turbulent slurry flow. Drum-type centrifuge testing thus provides a valuable tool for realistic assessment and design of resilient coastal structures under prototype stress fields.
Junji Miyamoto; Kazuhiro Tsurugasaki
11th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics (ICPMG2026)
Session 6: Onshore and offshore foundation systems
https://doi.org/10.53243/ICPMG2026-209