Assembly for dissipating wave energy through diffraction

Abstract

Blocks 20 interlock at cutouts 24 to form a row of blocks. Waves with wave crests 44 propagate in the direction of arrow A towards the blocks. When the waves impact the row of blocks 20 , the alternating peaks and troughs formed by the edges 22 , facets and steps of blocks 20 cause reflection of the waves from a plurality of point sources such that the reflected waves have circular wave fronts 46 . The wave interference of the circular wave fronts 46 in the regions shown by reference numeral 48 results in a phenomenon known as near field diffraction. Circular wave fronts 46 also interfere with waves 44 . This reduces the wave intensity impacting the blocks.

1 . An assembly for dissipating wave energy through diffraction, the assembly comprising:
 a plurality of first blocks and a plurality of second blocks, wherein each said first and second block includes a pair of substantially planar end faces and a plurality of substantially planar side faces, wherein a first side face meets an adjacent second side face to form an edge, and first and second cutouts are formed at the ends of said first and second side faces remote from said edge, and each said first block has a first height between said end faces and each said second block has a second height, different from said first height, between said end faces;   the assembly further comprising a base row of alternating first and second blocks interlocked by engagement of adjacent cutouts; and   at least one further row comprising a plurality of first blocks stacked on top of the base row, at least one said further row laterally offset from the base row to form a stepped assembly, each said block being interlocked by engagement of adjacent cutouts.   
   
   
       2 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each said block comprises a bore.