THREE-DIMENSIONAL BREAKING WAVE KINEMATICS

An investigation into three-dimensional waves has been carried out using Particle image velocimetry. The wave field contains a single frequency with a uniform angular spreading within a given range {-alpha, alpha}. The waves are designed such that the wave energy is focused at a given point. Several alpha values between 30 and 60 degrees were tested. Angular spreading was found to have great effects on the breaking characteristics and kinematics. Two types of breakers were observed, with the first being plunging breaking and the second being spilling breaking. The velocity to deep water celerity ratio of unity seemed to be the upper limit for spilling breakers and the lower limit for the plungers. The maximum velocity did not, in general, appear at the crest. The limiting crest velocity was found to be the value of the deep water celerity, which is in line with the observation of Griffiths (1989).

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Wave Kinematics and Environmental Forces Conf; 24-25 March 1993; London, U.K. Soc for Underwater Technology, Advances in Underwater Technology, Ocean Sci and Offshore Engng Series, Vol. 29 Pubs by Kluwer Academic Publishers 1993, ISBN 0-7923-2184-7, Session 3, p 275 [13 p, 9 ref, 7 fig]
• Authors:
  • She, K
  • Greated, C A
  • Easson, W J
• Publication Date: 1993

Language

• English

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Kinematics; Water waves; Wave measurement
• Uncontrolled Terms: Breaking waves
• Subject Areas: Hydraulics and Hydrology; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00716188
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: British Maritime Technology
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 28 1996 12:00AM