Wave forges on boundaries and submerged bodies

Abstract

A qualitative description is given of the physics of wave forces. Besides the well-known case of non-breaking waves with rigid boundaries, the paper describes the mechanism of breaking and the very intense but short pressure pulses caused by breaking waves. The effects of flexible boundaries are also briefly discussed. In a given locality the problem of resisting wave forces depends for each organism on its shape and compliance. Favourable shapes and strength properties are suggested.