WIT Press

Numerical Calculations Of Ocean Surface Waves In A Coastal Zone

Price

Free (open access)

Volume

43

Pages

10

Published

1999

Size

1,586 kb

Paper DOI

10.2495/CE990511

Copyright

WIT Press

Author(s)

G. Rindahl and E. Nosf

Abstract

Numerical simulation is here used as a tool for investigating sea floor effects on wind generated waves and swells entering a coastal zone. The mathe- matical model, the Mildslope Equation, is a refraction-defraction equation based on linear nonfrictional theory and assuming a slowly varying sea bed. We present two test cases: A harbour area with breakwaters, and the site of a planned wave power plant. The simulations show promising results. Due to adaptive gridding and incorporation of the effects of an infinite ocean outside the simulation area, the simulation software is able to handle larger areas with a satisfactory resolution than what is commonly feasible. In our conclusion we suggest that tools of this kind be used for investigation of worst case scenarios before and during planning of coastal zone con

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