ESTIMATION OF IRREGULAR WAVE KINEMATICS FROM A MEASURED RECORD

Abstract

This review of rational predictive methodologies for irregular wave kinematics confirms the crucial importance of the complete nonlinear free surface boundary conditions. Four methods, the global design wave method, the global linear superposition method, the local Wheeler stretching method and the local Fourier approximation method, have been compared for a very large measured wave from hurricane Camille. Free surface boundary condition errors are comparable to the wave height for the design wave and Wheeler stretching methods. They are sharply reduced by the local Fourier approximation method, though not eliminated. Linear superposition fails completely in the crest-trough region.