Laboratory experiments on low-crested breakwaters

New unique laboratory experiments on low-crested structures (LCSs) have been performed within the DELOS project. The experiments were carried out in three European laboratories aiming at extending and completing existing available information with respect to a wide range of engineering design properties such as structural stability, wave and current flows and wave transmission. 3D wave basin tests were performed to provide information especially about the wave obliquity, where almost no research has been done before. Flow velocities inside and close to the surface of structures were studied in a wave channel at small scale, and scale effects regarding wave transmission and reflection were studied in a wave channel at a large scale facility. The paper describes the experiments and associated databank with respect to objectives, test program, set-ups and measurements. Results, guidelines and recommendations elaborated from the tests are included in the other companion papers of the Coastal Engineering Special Issue on DELOS.