In this paper, breaking waves are generated in a 2-D wave tank and simulated by using a higher-order boundary element method. A piston-type wavemaker is operated by signals composed of elementary waves. The phase of elementary waves is determined by the linear theory such that they are focused to a prescribed position. Calculated plunging waves coincide well with experiment. A steel box with different plate thicknesses is installed at a predetermined position in the tank. Measured impulsive pressures due to breaking waves are found to be 0.8-1.2$ ho$C2, where $ ho$ corresponds to water density and C to wave celerity. The transverse displacement of the plate is described in terms of modal eigenfunctions. The natural frequencies measured by impact tests in air for thin plate coincide with the computational and theoretical values. The radiationpotential due to plate vibration is derived and the radiation force is expressed in terms of hydroelastic added mass and damping forces. Comparison of natural frequencies of plate in water proves that hydroelastic added mass and damping are properly considered. The measured strain due to regular waves supports the calculated one, but there are apparent discrepancies between theory and experiment in the impulsive case.