Hydraulic Stability Analysis of Armor Units

Abstract
A numerical stability model is developed to predict the hydraulic stability of armor units on rough slopes under the action of specified normally incident wave trains. The drag, lift, and inertia forces acting on an armor unit are expressed in terms of the fluid velocity and acceleration on a rough slope, which are predicted separately using a numerical flow model. The stability model predicts the variation of the local stability number along the slope whose minimum value corresponds to the critical stability number for initiation of armor movement. The computed critical stability number for riprap is shown to be in good agreement with observed zero‐damage stability number, although some of the input parameters for the model need to be calibrated. Finally, a simplified analysis is performed to predict the sliding morion of armor units on a rough slope. The predicted displacement of armor units may be related to the degree of damage resulting from armor movement.

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