The effect of wave crest speed in breaking waves

[摘要] The present work focuses on the evolution of the crest speed around large focal type water wave events. The phenomenon of crest slowdown around the point of maximum elevation is studied numerically using a boundary element model. The model is used to generate large design waves based on realistic ocean spectra. The evolution in terms of coupling between crest speed reduction and increase in particle velocities is studied up until initiation of wave breaking. It is shown that this coupling is a viable mechanism that leads to the formation of large deep water unidirectional breaking waves regardless of spectral shape and bandwidth.

[发布机构] Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London, London; SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom^1

[学科分类] 土木及结构工程学

[关键词] Boundary element models;Breaking waves;Large designs;Particle velocities;Spectral shapes;Speed reduction;Wave crest;Wavebreaking