Cyclic load tests on a caisson breakwater placed on sand

As a part of the European MAST III programme on the probabilistic design of vertical breakwaters, Delft Geotechnics has performed centrifuge tests on the cyclic behaviour of a caisson breakwater placed on clean, fine sand. The tests have been executed at 60g on a breakwater model, consisting of 3 caissons, placed pn a relatively loose sand model with a relative density of 58%. The caissons have been loaded by an irregular breaking wave load in the first test and a regular load in the second test. The results indicated a large influence of the load pattern on the failure load due to pore pressure dissipation.