The sea bottom in front of a breakwater is scoured under the action of broken waves,and this will affect the stability of the breakwater.In this paper,the scours of sandy seabed in front of a breakwater under the action of broken waves are investigated experimentally.The depth and range of the scouring trough at the foot of a breakwater are studied,and the influence of open foundation-bed on scouring and depositing is also discussed.In order to apply the research results to practical projects,the scale of model sediment and the scale of scours and depositions are suggested.