Wave ramp

Abstract

The present invention describes an off-shore wave ramp for inducing early cresting of waves to prevent damage and erosion along a shoreline, consisting of at least one platform supported above the natural sea floor by support means firmly affixed to the sea floor, the platform being arranged according to a predetermined regular pattern such that the area of the covers between about 50 and 80 percent of the area of the seal floor under the platform and forming a false sea floor seawardly inclined between the high water level to a selected distance above the sea floor. The wave ramp platform is comprised of an array of a selected spaced-apart, unconnected, rigid, non-bouyant, stationary plate-shaped elements with a seaward inclination of the wave ramp is at a selected angle relative to the floor.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An off-shore wave ramp for inducing cresting of incoming waves before they interact with the natural sea floor to prevent damage and erosion along a shoreline, the wave ramp comprising: a plurality of platforms forming a substantially rectangular array of a selected number of spaced-apart, unconnected, rigid, non-buoyant, stationary plate-shaped elements, the array having a seaward side and a shoreward side, each such plate-shaped element having an upper surface substantially planar with the surface of the sea, the plurality of plate-shaped elements supported above the natural sea floor by support means firmly aftixed to the sea floor, said array of platforms being arranged according to a predetermined regular pattern such that the area of the array of platforms covers between about 50 and 80 percent of the area of the sea floor under the array of platforms, the array of platforms arranged such that their upper surfaces are displaced horizontally and vertically shoreward forming a false sea floor inclined between a point at a selected distance above the sea floor at the seaward side to a selected point above the mean storm level at the shoreward side.  
     
     
         2 . The wave ramp of  claim 1  wherein the shoreward inclination of the wave ramp forms a selected angle relative to the sea floor.  
     
     
         3 . The wave ramp of  claim 1  wherein the support means consists of a selected number of piles sufficient to bear the weight of the wave ramp under various conditions of wave height and period.  
     
     
         4 . The wave ramp of  claim 3  wherein the support means consists of a single piling for each plate-shaped element.  
     
     
         5 . The wave ramp structure of  claim 1 , wherein the spaces between said plate-shaped elements vary according to the distance of the plate-shaped elements from the shoreline, the most seaward plate-shaped elements being spaced-apart by the greatest distances.  
     
     
         6 . The wave ramp structure of  claim 1 , wherein the transverse dimension of the platform is from about 1.5 wavelengths to about three or more wavelengths.  
     
     
         7 . The wave ramp structure of  claim 2 , wherein the plate-shaped element is in the shape of a disk.  
     
     
         8 . The wave ramp structure of  claim 2 , wherein the overall inclination of the platform varies from, about 1:50 to 1:30 at the seaward side, to about 1:30 to 1:10 near the shoreward side.  
     
     
         9 . The wave ramp structure of  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the diameter of each disk to the diameter of its supporting pile is from about 5:1 to about 7:1 and the extension into the sea floor not exceeding the depth of the water.  
     
     
         10 . The wave ramp of  claim 1 , wherein the platform is made of a material selected from the group consisting of reinforced concrete, stainless steel, wood, carbon fiber, plastic and composites.  
     
     
         11 . The wave ramp of  claim 1 , wherein the platform is comprised of two or more successive platforms located substantially between a selected off-shore location and the shore line, each platform extending from the high water level to the sea floor, the high water level side of the platform always located closer to shore than its sea floor side.  
     
     
         12 . An off-shore wave ramp for inducing cresting of waves before they interact with the natural sea floor to prevent damage and erosion along a shoreline, the wave ramp comprising: 
 (a) a substantially rectangular array of a selected number of spaced-apart, unconnected, rigid, non-buoyant, stationary plate-shaped elements, the array having a seaward side and a shoreward side, each such plate-shaped element having an upper surface, the upper surface of each such plate-shaped element substantially planar with the surface of the sea, each of such plate-shaped elements supported above the natural sea floor by support means firmly affixed to the sea floor, the array of elements being arranged according to a predetermined regular pattern such that the area of the array of elements covers between about 50 and 80 percent of the area of the sea floor under the array of elements, the array of elements arranged such that their upper surfaces are displaced horizontally and vertically shoreward forming a false sea floor inclined between a point at a selected distance above the sea floor at the seaward side to a selected point above the mean storm level at the shoreward side, the shoreward inclination of the wave ramp forming a selected angle relative to the sea floor; and    (b) the support means consisting of a selected number of piles sufficient to bear the weight of the wave ramp under various conditions of wave height and period.    
     
     
         13 . The wave ramp of  claim 12  wherein the support means consists of a single piling for each plate-shaped element.  
     
     
         14 . The wave ramp structure of  claim 12 , wherein the spaces between said platforms vary according to the distance of the platforms from the shoreline, the most seaward platforms being spaced-apart by the greatest distances.  
     
     
         15 . The wave ramp structure of  claim 12 , wherein the transverse dimension of the platform is about 1.5 wavelengths to about three or more wavelengths.  
     
     
         16 . The wave ramp structure of  claim 12 , wherein the plate-shaped element is in the shape of a disk.  
     
     
         17 . The wave ramp structure of  claim 12 , wherein the overall inclination of the platform varies from, about 1:50 to 1:30 at the seaward side, to about 1:30 to 1:10 near the shoreward side.  
     
     
         18 . The wave ramp structure of  claim 12 , wherein the ratio of the diameter of each plate to the diameter of its supporting pile is from about 5:1 to about 7:1 and the extension into the sea floor not exceeding the depth of the water.  
     
     
         19 . The wave ramp of  claim 12 , wherein the material for the platform is selected from the group consisting of reinforced concrete, stainless steel, wood, carbon fiber, plastic and composites.  
     
     
         20 . The wave ramp of  claim 12 , wherein the platform is comprised of two or more successive platforms located substantially between a selected off shore location and the shore line, each platform extending from the high water level to the sea floor, the high water level side of the platform always located closer to shore than its sea floor side.