Deep-water basin

The deep-water wave basin at Imperial College London is one of the largest directional wave basins in the UK. It has a plan area of 20m by 12m with an aspect ratio that allows for accurate reproduction of the directional properties of realistic waves. This facility has a maximum operational water depth of 1.5m and a movable bed system which allows water depths as low as 0.5m to be achieved. The wave-generation process is controlled through a bank of 56 numerically controlled flap-type wave paddles. These paddles allow state-of-the-art experimental conditions to be generated, including directional sea states with frequency dependent spectra. The centre of the basin has a 3.5m deep core measuring 1.2m by 1.2m – ideal for modelling catenary moorings and other deep water operations. The deep-water wave basin has been used in pioneering experiments in wave-structure interaction and metocean studies in the broad fields of oil and gas, marine renewables and offshore wind energy as well as fundamental studies of wave statistics.