PROBABILITIES FOR HIGHEST WAVE IN HURRICANE

Evidence is presented in this paper which supports the use of the extremal Rayleigh distribution for predictions of the largest wave height in a hurricane with time varying intensity. A formula is developed for the maximum wave distribution function in time-varying storms and computed for a large number of historical hurricanes, and the external Rayleigh function was found to be a very accurate approximation in allcases. Two parameters are shown to be interpretable in terms of an equivalent uniform intensity storm as the reciprocal of the logarithm square wave height and the logarithm of the number of waves in the storm, respectively. Data from hurricane Carla was analyzed as a case study to determine the parameters which best described the probability behavior of the larger waves in each 20 minute record. Statistical formulas and tables are given to facilitate probability use of the extremal Rayleigh probability law in coastal engineering and hurricane research.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Funded by a research grant from Chevron Research Company. Abstract prepared by Texas A&M University.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Civil Engineers

  345 East 47th Street
  New York, NY  United States  10017-2398
• Authors:
  • Borgman, L E
• Publication Date: 1973-5

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 185-207
• Serial:
  • Journal of Waterways, Harbors & Coast Eng Div
  • Volume: 99
  • Issue Number: WW2
  • Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Coast and river protective works; Flood protection; Hurricanes; Ocean waves; Port operations; Ports; Wave height
• Subject Areas: Design; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00050916
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Maritime Research Center, Galveston
• Report/Paper Numbers: ASCE #9705 Paper
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 31 1974 12:00AM