Author(s)

J.C. Ortiz & S.L. Douglass

Abstract

A boundary element solution of water particle velocities of waves breaking on mild slopes J.C. Ortiz, S.L. Douglass Department of Civil Engineering, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36688, USA ABSTRACT A boundary element method (BEM) system for modeling nonlinear over- turning periodic waves is applied to compute water particle velocities on the surface of breaking waves in the surf zone. The velocity on waves of differ- ent breaker types, plunging and spilling, are computed and found to vary significantly from the shallow water wave celerity approximation c = ^/J3. Maximum velocities at breaking of v = I Ac for a spilling and v = 2.2c for plunging waves were found. INTRODUCTION As the development of the coastal areas increases, even with the prospects of rising sea levels, engineering analysis of surf zone dynamics become more critical. Design of engineering projects on the beach is depends on the primary forcing function in the surf zone: water waves.

Keywords