Abstract: Real sea waves are multidirectional random waves. The wave directional distribution has a significant effect on the wave load. To study the effect of wave directional distribution on wave forces, a wave basin experiment on multidirectional wave loads on an array of large-scale cylinders was carried out. The normal and transverse forces were obtained through the statistical analysis of the time histories of the wave forces. The experimental results show that the wave directional distribution has a remarkable influence on the transverse force. As the wave directional distribution becomes wider, the transverse force increases significantly. The rear cylinders in the array are more affected by the directional distribution than the front ones.