Hydrodynamic loading of wave return walls on top of seaside promenades

To reduce coastal flooding risks in several coastal towns in Belgium wave return walls on top of the existing seaside promenades are designed. The structural strength and foundation of the wave return walls have to be designed taking into account the hydrodynamic loading due to overtopping waves. Based on existing relations for layer thickness and layer speed of overtopping waves a semi-empirical formula is developed to deliver a design value for the hydrodynamic loading on a wave return wall for given geometric and hydraulic boundary conditions. Using experimental results of scale models in wave flumes the empirical parameters of the semi-empirical formula are to be calibrated and validated for the range of applicability representative for the configurations occurring along the Belgian coastline