Damping of Water Waves Propagating over a Mud Bottom

Soft muddy bottoms have significant effects on damping coefficient of water waveswhich propagate over them. Model tests of wave damping are done for two different mudmaterials (kaolinite mud, bentonite mud) and these results are compared with thetheoretically predicted results. The theoretical damping rates determined by assuminga viscoelastic mud layer agree well with the rates obtained by experiments that kaoriniteis the bottom mud materials. In the case of bentonite mud, the predicted results byviscous fluid model agree well with experimental results.