Piling-up and rip-currents induced by low-crested structures in laboratory and prototype.

The paper aims at providing a simple model for evaluating piling-up, overtopping, filtration and rip currents for low crested structures. The model is essentially based on mass and momentum balance and on resistance laws that relate piling-up and mass fluxes. A procedure is suggested and validated against 2D and 3D experimental data. This procedure is innovative with respect to existing formulations since it applies both to emerged and submerged structures and it simultaneously accounts for structure permeability, return flow through gaps and dissipative effects.