scholarly journals THE CHARACTERISTICS OF WIND-WAVES GENERATED IN THE LABORATORY

1968 ◽  
Vol 1 (11) ◽  
pp. 4
Author(s):  
Theodore E. Lee

Wind-wave characteristics were recorded in the laboratory for the primary purposes of (a) analysis of the probability distribution of wave height and wave period with wind speed, water depth, and fetch length as major parameters, and (b) comparison of the test results with existing theory and empirical formulae. An important aspect of this study was to test the validity of the Tucker and Draper method (Draper, 1966) for the presentation of ocean wave data as applicable to wave-data analysis for simulated wind waves. It was interesting to note that some corrections were necessary when the method proposed by Draper at the 10th Coastal Engineering Conference was used for analyzing waves generated in the laboratory. Approximately a positive 20% correction was necessary for this study in which the wave spectra distribution is of very narrow range, the wave width parametere = V1-(T /T ) varles from 0.25 to 0.50, where Tc and T2 represent crest wave period ana zero-crossing wave period, respectively. However, only a negative 5% correction was necessary when the method was used to analyze sea waves (e = 0 73 to 0 76) measured off the shoreline near Look Laboratory Therefore, it was concluded that the Tucker and Draper Method is quite feasible for engineering purposes in analyzing wind-waves having a spectral width parameter of 0.60 to 0.75 The experimental data were compared with those wave heights predicted by the Darbyshire formulas (Francis, 1959) developed for ocean waves. A significant correction factor was necessary for laboratory waves produced by low-speed wi nds. The "fetch graph" was prepared and compared with those developed theoretically by Hino (1966) and empirically by Ijima and Tang (1966) at the 10th Conference on Coastal Engineering, Tokyo, Japan Comparison was also made with the previous empirical formulae by Bretschneider (1951, 1957), Sverdrup and Munk (1947), and Wilson (1961,1962). The experimental results compared well with the Hino theory for both wave heights and wave periods, and fairly well with Bretschneider's fetch graph for wave heights The difference in the comparison of wave data with other investigators is illustrated in this paper. It is recommended that further study be made with emphasis on (a) theoretical and experimental studies of wind-wave characteristics on pre-existing waves, particularly moving storms, (b) wave-energy spectra involving stochastic characteristics and extreme values of wind waves

2013 ◽  
Vol 302 ◽  
pp. 326-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhen Zhong Yuan ◽  
Bhupendra Singh Chauhan ◽  
Hee Chang Lim

Since there has been a rapid progress to understand the dynamics of an offshore floating body under an ocean environment, we undertake to generate the ocean waves in a lab-scale wind-wave flume. The study is aiming to observe and optimize the similar ocean environmental condition as input wave and to reduce the wall reflective wave. Several absorption methods are suggested to optimize the propagate wave by measuring the maximum and minimum of the standing wave envelope. There has been no optimized absorption method, as they highly depend on the wave period and the wave length. One of the methods - two fixed wave gauges measuring two wave heights and one wave phase - is applied in this study. In the present paper various approaches were used to analyze the results using the flume, by position of probes, with absorber and without absorber, different position, condition and angle of the wave absorber, This paper also focuses on the analysis of fundamental equations which describe the separating method of the incident and reflective wave, and finally we confirm that the wave absorber is highly efficient considering all the permutation and combination.From the study it is clear that there is a change in the wave amplitude at the receiving end then the generated end; wave absorber is a strong source to control the energy of the coming wave. With the changing the period of the wave, the reflectance is increasing when the period becomes larger.


Author(s):  
M. T. Pontes ◽  
M. Bruck

The conversion of the energy contained in ocean waves into an useful form of energy namely electrical energy requires the knowledge at least of wave height and period parameters. Since 1992 at least one altimeter has been accurately measuring significant wave height Hs. To derive wave period parameters namely zero-crossing period Tz from the altimeter backscatter coefficient various models have been proposed. Another space-borne sensor that measures ocean waves is SAR (or the advanced ASAR) from which directional spectra are obtained. In this paper various models proposed to compute Tz from altimeter data are presented and verified against a collocated set of Jason altimeter and NDBC buoy data. A good fitting of altimeter estimates to buoy data was found. Directional spectra obtained from ENVISAT ASAR measurements were compared against NDBC buoy data. It was concluded that for the buoys that are more sensitive to long low-frequency wave components the fitting of wave parameters and spectral form is good for short spatial distances. However, since the cut-off ASAR frequency is low (reliable information is provided only for long waves) their use for wave energy resource assessment in areas where wind-waves are important is limited.


1988 ◽  
Vol 1 (21) ◽  
Author(s):  
Billy L. Edge

This book contains over 220 papers presented at the 21st International Conference on Coastal Engineering. The book is divided into six parts: theoretical and observed wave characteristics; coastal processes and sediment transport; coastal structures and related problems; coastal, estuarine and environmental problems; case studies; and ship motions. The individual papers include such topics as the effects of wind, waves, storms and currents, erosion, sedimentation, and beach nourishment. Special emphasis is given to case studies of completed engineering projects. With the inclusion of both the theoretical and the practical, these papers provide the civil engineer with a broad range of information on coastal engineering.


1968 ◽  
Vol 1 (11) ◽  
pp. 14
Author(s):  
E.P. Richey

Wind waves in a lake have been observed to reflect from a barrier and to travel upwind for considerable distances. A model has been devised which provides a means of predicting the decay of these waves as a function of wind speed and direction with respect to the barrier. Two floating bridges across a deep lake have formed a convenient, full-scale test basin for the formation and observation of the reflected waves under a range of wind speeds and directions. Wave characteristics have been measured to a limited extent by photographic means, a portable wave probe and visually to provide seme verification of the results computed from the model. The measured and the predicted wave heights and the zones influenced by the waves were found to be in general qualitative agreement.


Author(s):  
Andreas Sterl ◽  
Sofia Caires

The European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) has recently finished ERA-40, a reanalysis covering the period September 1957 to August 2002. One of the products of ERA-40 consists of 6-hourly global fields of wave parameters like significant wave height and wave period. These data have been generated with the Centre’s WAM wave model. From these results the authors have derived climatologies of important wave parameters, including significant wave height, mean wave period, and extreme significant wave heights. Particular emphasis is on the variability of these parameters, both in space and time. Besides for scientists studying climate change, these results are also important for engineers who have to design maritime constructions. This paper describes the ERA-40 data and gives an overview of the results derived. The results are available on a global 1.5° × 1.5° grid. They are accessible from the web-based KNMI/ERA-40 Wave Atlas at http://www.knmi.nl/waveatlas.


2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (7) ◽  
pp. 56
Author(s):  
Takeshi Ijima ◽  
Shoji Shato ◽  
Hisashi Aono

General aspects of wave characteristics on the Pacific Coast of the main land and on the coast of Ise Bay caused by the Ise-wan Typhoon are studied on the bases of the observed wave data, calculated wave heights by the authors' method of forecasting shallow water wave and the results of the field inspection of damages by the typhoon.


2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 3169-3197
Author(s):  
J. Staneva ◽  
K. Wahle ◽  
H. Günther ◽  
E. Stanev

Abstract. This study addresses the impact of coupling between wind wave and circulation models on the quality of coastal ocean predicting systems. This is exemplified for the German Bight and its coastal area known as the Wadden Sea. The latter is the area between the barrier islands and the coast. This topic reflects the increased interest in operational oceanography to reduce prediction errors of state estimates at coastal scales, which in many cases are due to unresolved nonlinear feedback between strong tidal currents and wind-waves. In this study we present analysis of wave and hydrographic observations, as well as results of numerical simulations. A nested-grid modelling system is used to producing reliable nowcasts and short-term forecasts of ocean state variables, including wind waves and hydrodynamics. The data base includes ADCP observations and continuous measurements from data stations. The individual and collective role of wind, waves and tidal forcing are quantified. The performance of the forecast system is illustrated for the cases of several extreme events. Effects of ocean waves on coastal circulation and sea level are investigated by considering the wave-dependent stress and wave breaking parameterization. Also the effects which the circulation exerts on the wind waves are tested for the coastal areas using different parameterizations. The improved skill of the coupled forecasts compared to the non-coupled ones, in particular during extreme events, justifies the further enhancements of coastal operational systems by including wind wave models.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Yasrab ◽  
Alexander V. Babanin

Abstract Ocean surface is complex and difficult to predict accurately due to its random nature. Ocean surface waves in strong wind conditions have been widely studied for last few decades. Almost half of world’s winds are below 7.5 m/s and the physics of such winds contains a lot of uncertainties. The simulation of ocean waves is largely dependent on the driving winds force accuracy and source term parameterizations. However, low winds are often ignored on the perception of their lesser effect on overall results of existing models. It is important to understand the relative strength/ weaknesses of wave forecast models under low wind conditions from scientific perspective which should lead to improved wave forecast and wave-ocean-weather coupling capabilities. There are many critical thresholds involved in the initial generation and growth of wind waves whereas current parameterizations of wave models are mostly based on moderate – high wind conditions. Wave model’s performance, although not very prominent, contains bias under low winds conditions and these thresholds need to be embedded in current physics of wave forecast models for more accurate simulations. In this study, WAVEWATCH III (v6.07) wave forecast model with observation based source terms parameterizations (ST6 package) is used to simulate waves on a global scale. The model’s output is analyzed with a globally calibrated and cross validated global dataset of 13 altimeters to analyze its performance under low wind conditions. A relative error of −1 to 6 is observed in global significant wave heights simulated by WAVEWATCH III model compared to altimeter’s measured wave heights for wind speeds less than 5ms−1.


1979 ◽  
Vol 1979 (1) ◽  
pp. 665-674 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hsien-Ta Liu ◽  
Jung-Tai Lin

ABSTRACT Laboratory experiments were performed to investigate the effects of an oil slick on ocean waves. This is part of an integrated program aimed at understanding the vertical dispersion of oil in the upper ocean. The experiments were conducted in a wind-wave tank which measured 9.1 m long, 1.2 m wide, and 1.8 m deep. Both wind waves and mechanically-generated waves with wind were considered. No. 2 Diesel oil was fed at a rate of 0.35 liters/sec onto the water surface from the upstream end of the wave tank. To measure the wave profiles, an optical sensor-photodiode wave gauge was developed and is described herein. The effects of an oil slick on wind waves were examined in terms of wave profiles and rms wave amplitudes. For wind waves, the presence of the oil slick damps the waves significantly. The amount of damping increases with the wind speed in the range from U∞ = 4 m/sec to 10 m/sec. At U∞ = 10 m/sec, the oil slick breaks into small lenses. The rms amplitudes of the wind-generated waves increase with the fetch without the oil slick, but they do not change appreciably in the presence of the oil slick. For mechanically-generated waves with wind, wave damping by the oil slick becomes insignificant when the waves are sufficiently steep and wave breaking occurs. Prior to wave breaking, however, steepening of the wave crests due to the presence of the oil slick has been observed occasionally as a result of the reduction in the surface tension by the oil film.


1978 ◽  
Vol 1 (16) ◽  
pp. 42
Author(s):  
Hajime Kato ◽  
Hiroichi Tsuruya

This paper presents some experimental results of wind waves generated on currents in a wind-wave channel with a water circulation pump system. The waves were measured at fetches less than 27.8 m by using resistance-type wave gauges. Surface velocities as well as velocity profiles in water were also measured elaborately and true frequency wave spectra were obtained from observed apparent spectra which were modified by the doppler effect of current. Significant wave heights Hwj computed from r)2 and peak frequencies of true spectra fprn were examined with emphasis. It was inferred from the variation of true spectra that the most prominent effect of water current is to change the effective fetch length. Then an idea of equivalent fetch length was proposed to express the current effect on the development of total wave energy. By using the equivalent fetch F' in place of the natural fetch it is shown that Hj/3 and fQm measured under various current conditions can be represented by the non-dimensional fetch relations, respectively, which were originally obtained in the case of no current.


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