DEN 405E

Lecture 7
Wave Transformation

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 Dispersion Relation
• Signifies the dispersion of frequencies
• Means: Waves of different wave length
travel at different phase speed (celerity)

• Playing with the definitions of variables:

Gravity
Wave Table
Progressive Waves and Particle Kinematics

Surface Elevation Velocity Potential

H H  cosh k (h  z )
  cos (kx  t )  sin(kx  t )
2 2 k sinh kh

Shallow Intermediate Deep

Horizontal and Vertical Particle Velocities
 H cosh k ( h  z )
u   cos(kx  t )
x 2 sinh kh

 H sinh k ( h  z )
w   sin(kx  t )
z 2 sinh kh
Can produce horizontal acceleration
• We can use the Velocity Potential to
produce velocity

• We can use velocity to produce

acceleration (time derivative)
Can we produce vertical acceleration
Horizontal and Vertical Particle Velocities
Pressure Field of Progressive Wave

Bernoulli Equation
 Standing Wave
Can be written as the superposition of two progressive
waves propagating in the opposite directions

Right Going Wave

Left Going Wave

 Standing Wave
Can be written as the superposition of two progressive
waves propagating in the opposite directions

Trigonometric
Hg cosh k ( h  z ) Identities
 cos kx sin t
2 cosh kh

H
  cos kx cos t
2
 Distribution of Water Particle
Velocities in a Standing Wave

(Dean & Dalrymple, 1991; their fig 4.6)

There is no crest propagation.

 Mean Potential Energy (unit width)
h 
d ( PE )  dmgz z
2
Depth + Surface Elevation

xL xL
1 1 (h   )2
( PE )T 
L x d ( PE ) 
L x
g
2
dx Integrated over full wave length

h2 H2
( PE )T  g  g
2 16

Meaned over one wave length

H2
( PE ) waves  g
16
 Mean Kinetic Energy (unit width)
u 2  w2 u 2  w2
d ( KE )  dm   dxdz
2 2
Unit Volume

xL
1  u 2  w2
KE 
L x
h  2 dzdx Integrated over full wave length

2
mean energy;
H
KE  g • over one wave length or one wave
16
period,
• due to the orbital velocities of the
water particles
 Mean Total Energy

2
H
E  KE  PE  g
8
 Wave Energy Density (unit width)
Average energy per wavelength and per unit
width.
We already have mean energy per length

To obtain density, we need to divide by width

(which is selected as 1)

Energy density is (same as mean energy):

 Group Velocity (Cg)
In open ocean, we have more than one frequency/period

Group Velocity is the energy transport velocity of the wave

As per dispersion relation;

• Longer waves travel faster,
• Shorter waves travel slower

Combining waves of different frequencies

(similar to standing wave);
H H
  1 2  cos (k1 x   1t )  cos (k2 x   2t )
2 2
 Group Velocity (Cg)
Assuming, two waves separated by
 k  k
1    , k1  k  2    , k2  k 
2 2 2 2

1   
  H cos(kx  t ) cos  k  x  t 
2  k 
group velocity

Cg  or in differential form,
k
 Group Velocity - Wave Velocity
Relationship
Definition

Using the dispersion relation to calculate the right

hand side

Can be obtained from

Where, Gravity Wave Table
Group Velocity Wave Number (n)

Deep Water

Shallow Water
wave group characteristics
(Dean & Dalrymple, 1991; their fig 4.12)
 Wave Energy Flux

Time mean energy flux (transported energy

per unit area)

Wave Energy Flux is a conservative feature of the

wave, will help us calculate with wave
transformations
 Waves and the Shoreline
• Waves moving towards the shoreline can go
through several transformations and/or
modifications

• Refraction
• Shoaling
• Diffraction
• Breaking
• Reflection
 Waves Entering Shallow Water
wave number vector conservation of waves
(Dean & Dalrymple, 1991; their fig 4.14) (Dean & Dalrymple, 1991; their fig 4.15)

bottom

beach
 Wave Refraction
• When the depth changes;
– Waves moving between depths acts as it is
changing medium

– Similar to refraction of light (tea spoon in tea)

– Refraction turns the wave crests such that they

align with the bathymetry contours (isobaths)

– Wave might focus or defocus towards shoreline

Wave Refraction
Wave Refraction
Wave Refraction at Different
Coastal Morphology

wave rays
Wave Refraction at Different
Coastal Morphology

wave rays

equal energy
offshore
 Wave Refraction at Different
Coastal Morphology
lower wave
energy

wave rays

equal energy
offshore
 Wave Refraction at Different
Coastal Morphology
higher wave
lower wave energy
energy

wave rays

equal energy
offshore
Fig. 10.21
 Refraction
no alongshore variations
k sin   const  k y

Constant

sin  sin  0
 (Snell’s law)
C C0

Like optics
 Refraction
• Horizontal component of the wave number is
conserved

• Wave frequency is always conserved

• Horizontal component of the phase speed is

also conserved along trajectories

• Therefore wave keeps turning with each

bathymetry change
 wave rays
idealized bathymetry
(Dean & Dalrymple, 1991; their fig 4.17)
Wave Rays with Different Bathymetries

g
a b c

d e f
Shoaling

We know the energy flux

remains constant between
the wave rays

Since, width is also constant;

Only Group Velocity
changes due to changing
depth
 Shoaling Coefficient
This change
assumes isobaths
parallel to the
shoreline
Working on the equations;

Shoaling Coefficient, wave height ratio due to wave

shoaling
Solution Continued
 wave rays
idealized bathymetry
(Dean & Dalrymple, 1991; their fig 4.17)
 Conservation of Energy Flux
We know that the energy
flux remains constant
between wave rays
Distance between rays

Canceling the terms and modifying the equality

 Wave Height Modification due to
Shoaling and Refraction
From Deep Water to any depth

Shoaling Coefficient
Refraction Coefficient

General case (between any two depths)

Solution Continued
 Reminder
• Don't forget: You might have refraction
and shoaling at the same time.
• If that is the case you need to use the
more general formula to calculate wave
height transformation due to both.

General case (between any two depths)

 Diffraction
• Bending of the wave when moving around
an obstacle or a small opening
– Required so that the energy gradient does not
become infinite

• Can not be explained with linear wave

theory
 Diffraction
Depth here becomes zero, what
happens to Group Velocity?

(Dean & Dalrymple, 1991; their fig 4.24)

Diffraction
Breaking Waves
 Breaking Waves

• When waves area approaching shoreline;

– wave length decreases and,
– waves become steeper until they break

– Linear wave theory can not explain wave

breaking
 Wave Breaking

http://geology.wr.usgs.gov/parks/sea/wave.gif
 Breaking due to
Wave Steepness
We can use wave steepness to check for breaking,
If the ratio of wave height to wavelength is 1:7
or more, the wave will break
Wave Breaking in Shallow Water

• Other option is to check the wave height to

depth ratio,
• If the wave height is to large compared to
depth, wave breaks;
When doing Refraction and
Shoaling analysis you might
need to check for breaking!
 Different Breaking Types
Spilling breaking
The water from the crest falls along the
forward face of the wave.

Plunging breaking
The water from the crest rapidly overtakes
the wave base and plunges foward into the
wave trough.

Surging breaking

The base of the wave surges up the

beach before the crest can plunge
forward
Collapsing breaking

This is between plunging and surging

breaking
Wave Reflection
 Interferences
• Constructive and Destructive

Constructive

Destructive