Open AccessDEFORMATION UP TO BREAKING OF PERIODIC WAVES ON A BEACH
Author(s) -
Ib A. Svendson,
J. Buhr Hansen
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
proceedings of conference on coastal engineering/proceedings of ... conference on coastal engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2156-1028
pISSN - 0589-087X
DOI - 10.9753/icce.v15.26
Subject(s) - breaking wave , wave shoaling , wave height , shoaling and schooling , surface wave , geology , mechanics , deep water , wind wave , stokes wave , wave setup , laminar flow , physics , wave propagation , mechanical wave , optics , oceanography , longitudinal wave
An experimental description is presented for 'the transformation of periodic waves which approach breaking on a gently sloping beach. The data include the variation of wave height, phase velocity, wave surface profiles, and the maximum value of the wave height to water depth ratio (H/h)max around the breaking point. The results are compared with the theories of sinusoidal and cnoidal wave shoaling, and the latter is shown in most cases to agree remarkably well when the laminar energy loss along the walls and bottom of the wave tank is included. An empirical relation is established between wave length to water depth ratio L/h at the breaking point and the deep water wave steepness H0/L0. Also the maximum wave height to water depth ratio at breaking shows considerably less scattering than found previously, when plotted versus S = hx L/h, hx being bottom slope.