The Ocean and Hydraulics Laboratory, originally established in 1975, has been one of the largest of its kind in the construction industry in Japan. Highly advanced facilities, such as the Multi-Directional Irregular Wave Maker and the Tsunami Wave Maker, have been installed.
It has been used to develop up-to-date design and construction technologies for coastal and offshore structures that are becoming larger and more sophisticated. By conducting a wide range of experiments with its effective use, desirable solutions meeting conditions needed at all the stages of planning, design, and construction for these structures are provided.
Major Experimental Facilities
- Dam & river experimental facility
Wave Basin
Multi-Wave Flume
Major subject addressed using this laboratory
- Wave force on offshore structures
- Motion of floating bodies due to waves and currents
- Mooring system of floating bodies
- Control of waves in coastal regions
- Interaction and response of offshore structures and soils due to earthquakes
- Dam & river development
- Water intake-outlet facilities of plants
Motion of working vessels due to waves
Wave Basin
The Wave Basin is equipped with two types of wave makers (the Multi-Directional Irregular Wave Maker and the Tsunami Wave Maker) and, actual sea waves and tsunamis are reproduced with high accuracy. The Wave Basin is 20m wide.
Outline
Effective use of these facilities makes it possible to provide desirable solutions meeting conditions needed at all the stages of planning, design, and construction for coastal and ocean structures.
Multi-Directional Irregular Wave Maker
Tsunami Wave Maker
Examples
Experiments using the Multi-Directional Irregular Wave Maker
Typical experiments using the Multi-Directional Irregular Wave Maker are related to:
- Breakwaters
- Forces on coastal and offshore structures
- Motions of floating bodies
Harbor tranquility
Towing of submerged tube
Experiments using the Tsunami Wave Maker
Typical experiments using the Tsunami Wave Maker are related to:
- Forces on coastal, offshore and land structures caused by tsunamis
- Scour and mobile seabed caused by tsunamis
Velocity measurements around circular cylinder
Multi-Wave Flume・Irregular Wave Flume
The Ocean and Hydraulics Laboratory has two types of wave flumes (the Multi-Wave Flume and the Irregular Wave Flume) used to conduct two-dimensional hydraulic experiments from small to large scales.
Outline
The Multi-Wave Flume, equipped with a tsunami wave maker, a current generator and an irregular wave maker, has a glass wall with observation windows, through which wave behavior can be vividly and precisely traced.
Generated waves in Multi-Wave Flume
Irregular Wave Flume
Examples
Experiments using the Multi-Wave Flume
Typical experiments using the Multi-Wave Flume, most of which are on relatively reasonable budgets, are related to:
- Breakwaters
- Forces on coastal and land structures
- Scour and mobile seabed
Wave force effects on seawall with slit type wave absorbing structure
Tsunami wave forces acting on structures
Experiments using the Irregular Wave Flume
Typical experiments using the Irregular Wave Flume, some of which are nearly equal to three-dimensional ones, are related to:
- Breakwaters
- Forces on coastal structures
- Scour and mobile seabed
Stability of wave dissipating blocks
Behavior of vessel flushed by tsunami
