Performance Monitoring of the Cable Station Artificial Surfing Reef
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Performance Monitoring of the Cable Station Artificial Surfing Reef By Stacey Bancroft 1999 Department of Environmental Engineering Performance Monitoring of the Cable Station Artificial Surfing Reef Prepared by: Stacey Bancroft 951442/9 October, 1999 Under Supervision of: Dr. Charitha Pattiaratchi, Centre for Water Research, The University of Western Australia Department of Environmental Engineering Cover Page Photo: Wave breaking at Cable Station Artificial Surfing Reef, 6th of May, 1999 (4:00pm) 5 Webb Place Hillarys WA 6025 25th October, 1999 The Dean, Faculty of Engineering, University of Western Australia Nedlands WA 6009 Dear Sir, I have great pleasure in submitting this thesis entitled ÒPerformance Monitoring of the Cable Station Artificial ReefÓ as partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Engineering (Environmental) with Honours. Yours sincerely, Stacey R. Bancroft Performance Monitoring of the Cable Station Artificial Surfing Reef i Acknowledgments I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Chari Pattiaratchi, for all his help and patience this yearÉ and for his ability to untie knots, upside down, in 2 metres of water, on a breaking reef. I would also like to thank Matt Eliot, Tony Edwards and Pieter Goldie for endeavouring to answer all my questions. Thank you to Jeff Doucette, Sonia Le quilleuc and Febrina Sumanti for their help with field work out on the reef. A very special thanks must go to my family, my heroes. Thank you so much for all your support over the years. To all my engineering friends, thankyou and congratulationsÉ we finally made it. Last but not least, to the ocean and RyanÉ for keeping me sane and happy. Performance Monitoring of the Cable Station Artificial Surfing Reef ii Executive Summary Unlike many other sports, for which new recreational facilities may be built to meet increased demand, surfing has previously been confined to a limited number of natural surf sites. The idea of creating surfable waves through the construction of artificial reefs has been a dream in the minds of surfers for many years. This dream is now a reality, with the construction of the worldÕs first artificial surfing reef at Cable Station in Perth, Western Australia. The principal aim of the present study was to assess the performance of the Cable Station Artificial Surfing Reef through the use of field measurements. These field measurements included the deployment of an S4 current meter and a pressure sensor at the reef location; fortnightly beach width measurements; and recording aerial footage of the surf break from a helicopter. Images recorded by a web camera located in the vicinity of the reef were also assessed to determine the breaking characteristics of the reef. It has been concluded from the studies undertaken that the Cable Station reef is working to design specifications and is performing as well, or better than, was predicted. Observations of days breaking and days surfable during the study period of February to August were found to be greater than predicted for the reef. Aerial footage of the reef taken on the 17th of October indicated effective peeling to the left and right, with peel angles of approximately 45 degrees. According to the criteria set by Walker (1974), the day observed would be classed as being suitable for surfers of intermediate ability. The assessment of conditions required to produce surfable waves on the reef has produced a predictive tool for determining whether the reef will be working under a given matrix of wave, wind and water level conditions. It was determined that wave data recorded at Deep Channel, Cottesloe is a good estimate of the incident swell conditions at Cable Station. No detrimental environmental impacts due to the reef itself, in terms of the sediment regime and biological activity, were observed. The increased traffic to the site is causing some dune erosion due to access problems, however plans for the construction of an access route are already underway Performance Monitoring of the Cable Station Artificial Surfing Reef iii Table of Contents I ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................. I II EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...............................................................................II III TABLE OF CONTENTS................................................................................ III IV LIST OF FIGURES, TABLES AND PLATES.............................................. VI 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................1 2 LITERATURE REVIEW..................................................................................3 2.1 BACKGROUND THEORY.................................................................................3 2.1.1 GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SURFING .....................................3 2.1.2 WAVE GENERATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF OCEAN WAVES.....5 2.1.3 WIND WAVES ........................................................................................7 2.1.3.1 Seas (Storm waves)............................................................................................................................ 8 2.1.3.2 Swell ................................................................................................................................................... 9 2.1.4 WAVE THEORIES FOR REGULAR WAVES ........................................10 2.1.5 IRREGULAR WAVES (REAL OCEAN WAVES)....................................14 2.1.6 WAVE SHOALING AND WAVE BREAKING........................................15 2.1.6.1 Wave Shoaling ................................................................................................................................. 15 2.1.6.2 Refraction, Diffraction and Reflection............................................................................................ 16 2.1.6.3 Breaker Criterion.............................................................................................................................. 16 2.1.6.4 Breaker Type.................................................................................................................................... 18 2.1.6.5 Criterion for a rideable wave........................................................................................................... 23 2.1.7 LONG-PERIOD SEA-LEVEL FLUCTUATIONS...................................28 2.1.7.1 Tides ................................................................................................................................................. 29 2.1.7.2 Seiches.............................................................................................................................................. 29 2.1.7.3 Storm Surges .................................................................................................................................... 30 2.1.7.4 Continental Shelf Waves ................................................................................................................. 30 2.1.8 NEARSHORE PROCESSES..................................................................30 Performance Monitoring of the Cable Station Artificial Surfing Reef 2.2 ARTIFICIAL SURFING REEFS .......................................................................32 2.2.1 HISTORY OF ARTIFICIAL SURFING REEFS .....................................32 2.2.2 CABLE STATION ARTIFICIAL SURFING REEF.................................38 2.2.2.1 Project Initiation............................................................................................................................... 38 2.2.2.2 Site Selection.................................................................................................................................... 43 2.2.2.3 Design Studies.................................................................................................................................. 45 2.2.2.4 Perth Wave Climate ......................................................................................................................... 53 2.2.2.5 Management and Construction........................................................................................................ 58 2.2.2.6 Design Optimisation ........................................................................................................................ 60 2.2.2.7 Environmental Concerns ................................................................................................................. 64 2.2.2.8 Assessment of Surfable Days (predicted) ....................................................................................... 70 2.2.2.9 Social and Economic Aspects ......................................................................................................... 85 2.2.3 SUMMARY OF ARTIFICIAL SURFING REEF BACKGROUND..........88 3 METHODOLOGY ..........................................................................................90 3.1 WAVE DATA FOR CABLE STATION...............................................................90 3.1.1 WAVE MEASURING DEVICES............................................................91 3.1.1.1 Pressure Sensor ................................................................................................................................ 91 3.1.1.2 S4 Current Meter.............................................................................................................................. 91 3.1.2 DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUE.....................................................91