In 29.2 some simple diffraction solutions are given which ignore the effects of wave refractions and reflection.

These solutions can, in general, only be used to obtain a first estimate of storm or swell wave heights inside large harbours in which the boundaries are several wavelengths distant from the harbour entrance and therefore unlikely to be good reflectors. Under these conditions there is insufficient reflected wave energy present in the harbour to alter seriously the wave diffraction pattern obtained ignoring reflection. This situation is not valid for long waves with periods of the order of minutes where even a beach can be expected to produce a noticeable reflection, nor for smaller harbours for fishing boats and pleasure craft which frequently have reflective boundaries, such as vertical faced quay walls, and which consequently may resonate at storm and swell wave periods. The diffraction solutions described in 29.2 are modified in 29.3 to include the effect of wave refraction and, although these solutions can be further extended to include some wave reflection, the type of model described is not capable of allowing for harbour resonance and is therefore similarly limited to the calculation of storm and swell wave heights inside large harbours, but to a greater degree of accuracy. In 29.4 some of the basic resonant modes of harbour oscillation are described and in 29.5 and 29.6 guidance is given on the use of models in harbour analysis. 29.2 Wave diffraction for a flat seabed 29.2.1 General. The solutions presented in 29.2.2 to 29.2.4 are applicable to regions sheltered by breakwaters within which negligible refraction and reflection takes place. 29.2.2 Single breakwater case. The solution for waves incident on a single breakwater arm is similar to the solution found for the diffraction of light around a semi-infinite screen. Figure 17(a) shows a typical diffraction diagram in which wave fronts and contours of the diffraction coefficient, Kd, the ratio of the diffracted wave height over the incident wave height, on the sheltered side of a single, vertical faced, impervious breakwater arm are plotted for the case of uniform waves approaching with their crests parallel to the breakwater. In diffraction diagrams of this type distance is normally expressed in units of wavelength so that it is necessary to work out (from Figure 11) the value of wavelength appropriate to the water depth and wave period. Diffraction coefficients for a range of uniform wave directions incident on a single breakwater arm are shown in Table 1 in which the coefficient is given for various positions defined by polar coordinates and for various incident wave directions where angles and distances are as defined in Figure 17(b). Diagrams of this type generally show that, along the shadow line drawn on the sheltered side from the

breakwater tip parallel to the incident wave direction, the diffracted wave height is approximately half the incident wave height and, on each side of this line, the diffracted wave height is changing rapidly. The relatively rapid variation of wave height in this region is unlikely to occur to such an extent in real situations due to wave energy being spread in direction. Although wave refraction outside the harbour will tend to reduce the directional spread of incident wave energy, the remaining spread will, in many situations, be sufficient to reduce the rate of variation in the theoretical diffraction pattern obtained for uniform waves given in Table 1. 29.2.3 Double breakwater case. Where a harbour entrance is formed by two breakwater arms, it is acceptable to apply the solution given above for a single breakwater arm to each breakwater in turn provided the width is 5 wavelengths or greater. For entrance widths of less than 5 wavelengths a more exact solution, which makes use of a series of Mathieu functions, can be given. Results for seven angles of wave approach to entrance widths of 0.5, 1, 2 and 3 wavelengths are summarized in Figure 18 where an intensity factor lD () together with its relevant scale is given for each case. The wave diffraction coefficient, Kd, may be obtained at a position with polar coordinates (r,) by the following procedure (see Figure 19). On the intensity factor plot appropriate to the entrance width and incident wave direction, a line is drawn at the required angle extending from the centre of the entrance. The distance along this line to the point where it cuts the intensity plot gives the value of the intensity factor lD () when measured at the relevant scale. The diffraction coefficient Kd at the position (r,) is then given by: