Experimental Measurements of Wave Transformation on Coral Reefs

Extensive laboratory experiments were carried out to investigate the wave transformation on coral reefs in the East Sea of Vietnam. These coral reefs usually have very high fore-reef slopes and followed by a wide coral platform which is very different from gently-sloping beaches. The process takes place in two parts including from deep water to the reef edge and from the edge to the submerged reefs. The experiments were designed into measure wave spectrum, broken waveforms, and wave attenuation on the shallow reef part. Remarkably, extreme wave scenarios were generated to confirms the broadening of wave spectrum and the appearance of low-frequency waves during propagation. The wave spectrum shape in the platform is similar to those after undergoing repeated wave break, changing from sharp to obtuse. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.