MEASUREMENTS OF THE STEADY CURRENTS OUTSIDE THE SURF ZONE

Pietro Scandura, Erminia Capodicasa, Enrico Foti

Abstract


The results of an experimental study concerning with the measurements of the steady current induced by sea waves approaching the coast are reported. The experiments have been performed in a large wave flume in order to minimize the scale effects. The measurements have been carried out at four different stations along the wave flume by using Acoustic Doppler Velocimeters. The results show that the mean velocity profiles are significantly influenced by the wave period. In particular, when the period reduces the mean velocity gradient close to the wave trough increases. The trend of the velocity profiles is different from that predicted by the theory and mostly reported by other experiments. However, experimental results are reported in literature which are in a qualitative agreement with the present ones.

Keywords


sea waves; steady currents; velocity measurements

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