TY - JOUR
T1 - Experimental measurement of focused wave group and solitary wave overtopping
AU - Hunt-Raby, Alison C.
AU - Borthwick, Alistair G L
AU - Stansby, Peter K.
AU - Taylor, Paul
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - Prediction of individual wave overtopping events is important in assessing danger to life and property, but data are sparse and hydrodynamic understanding is lacking. Laboratory-scale waves of three distinct types were generated at the Coastal Research Facility to model extreme waves overtopping a trapezoidal embankment. These comprised wave groups of compact form, wave groups embedded in a background wave field, and a solitary wave. The inshore wave propagation was measured and the time variation of overtopping rate estimated. The total volume overtopped was measured directly. The experiments provide well-defined data without uncertainty due to the effect of reflection on the incident wave train. The dependence of overtopping on a range of wave shapes is thus determined and the influence of wave-wave interactions on overtopping assessed. It was found that extreme overtopping may arise from focused waves with deep troughs rather than large crests. Furthermore, overtopping waves can be generated from small wave packets without affecting the applicability of results to cases in which there are surrounding waves. Finally, overtopping from a solitary wave is comparable with overtopping from focused wave groups of the same amplitude.
AB - Prediction of individual wave overtopping events is important in assessing danger to life and property, but data are sparse and hydrodynamic understanding is lacking. Laboratory-scale waves of three distinct types were generated at the Coastal Research Facility to model extreme waves overtopping a trapezoidal embankment. These comprised wave groups of compact form, wave groups embedded in a background wave field, and a solitary wave. The inshore wave propagation was measured and the time variation of overtopping rate estimated. The total volume overtopped was measured directly. The experiments provide well-defined data without uncertainty due to the effect of reflection on the incident wave train. The dependence of overtopping on a range of wave shapes is thus determined and the influence of wave-wave interactions on overtopping assessed. It was found that extreme overtopping may arise from focused waves with deep troughs rather than large crests. Furthermore, overtopping waves can be generated from small wave packets without affecting the applicability of results to cases in which there are surrounding waves. Finally, overtopping from a solitary wave is comparable with overtopping from focused wave groups of the same amplitude.
KW - Focused wave group
KW - individual overtopping volume
KW - overtopping volume estimation method
KW - solitary wave
KW - wave overtopping
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=81455138968&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/00221686.2010.542616
DO - 10.1080/00221686.2010.542616
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:81455138968
VL - 49
SP - 450
EP - 464
JO - Journal of Hydraulic Research
JF - Journal of Hydraulic Research
SN - 0022-1686
IS - 4
ER -