9/3/2012

CE 769
Coastal and Ocean Environment
Part-IV

Dr. BALAJI Ramakrishnan

Assistant Professor
Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay.
email: rbalaji@civil.iitb.ac.in

Wave transformation
General
When the waves are propagating
from deep to shore, it
undergoes lots of changes or
transformations.

The following are primary wave

transformation processes;
-Wave shoaling
-Refraction
-Diffraction
-Reflection
-Wave breaking
Dr. BALAJI Ramakrishnan, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil Engg., IIT Bombay. email: rbalaji@civil.iitb.ac.in

9/3/2012

Wave transformation
Energy flux & Group celerity
Energy flux: The rate at which the energy is transferred by the waves.
For the linear wave theory it is the rate at which work is being done by the
fluid on one side of a vertical section on the fluid on the other side.
For the vertical section AA (in Fig.), the
instantaneous rate at which work is being
done by the dynamic pressure per unit width
in the direction of wave propagation is;

The avg. energy flux is obtained by averaging over a wave period and
applying the equation of p and u;
d

d
d

Integrating the above equation will lead to;

Dr. BALAJI Ramakrishnan, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil Engg., IIT Bombay. email: rbalaji@civil.iitb.ac.in

Wave transformation
Energy flux & Group celerity
(or)

d
d

Energy, E

Celerity, C

where Cn is the speed at which the energy is transmitted; this velocity is

called the group velocity (or group celerity) Cg,

In which,

Dr. BALAJI Ramakrishnan, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil Engg., IIT Bombay. email: rbalaji@civil.iitb.ac.in

9/3/2012

Wave transformation
Shoaling
As water depth decreases, the wavelength length & celerity decreases.
So, for energy is to be conserved, the wave height increases.

Dr. BALAJI Ramakrishnan, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil Engg., IIT Bombay. email: rbalaji@civil.iitb.ac.in

Wave transformation
Shoaling
The change in water depth (d) produces corresponding change in the wave
speed (C), which in turn modifies the wave group velocity (Cg).
However, as the energy flux always remains constant, the energy (E) also
changes. This gives rise to change in wave height (H) as E is proportional
to H2.
Equating the flux in deep water to the one in intermediate water;
[E0n0C0]=[EnC]
Applying the values of E and bring it on the left-hand-side;
where, Ks Shoaling coefficient, H/H0

Initially, as a wave enters intermediate water depths the wave height

decreases because n increases. H/H0 reaches a minimum value of 0.913
at d/L=0.189(d/Lo=0.157). Shoreward of this point the wave height
grows at an ever-increasing rate until the wave becomes unstable and
breaks.
Dr. BALAJI Ramakrishnan, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil Engg., IIT Bombay. email: rbalaji@civil.iitb.ac.in

9/3/2012

Wave transformation
Shoaling
Dimensionless wave height versus relative depth
for two-dimensional wave transformation.

Dr. BALAJI Ramakrishnan, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil Engg., IIT Bombay. email: rbalaji@civil.iitb.ac.in

Wave transformation
Refraction
Wave celerity (speed) changes with water depth, specifically in shallow
water depths.
This causes different parts of the SAME wave crest moves with different
speeds.
Shoreline/beach
-1m
-2m
A

5m/s

-3m
6.5m/s

-4m
-5m

C
9m/s

Dr. BALAJI Ramakrishnan, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil Engg., IIT Bombay. email: rbalaji@civil.iitb.ac.in

9/3/2012

Wave transformation
Refraction
In simple terms, bending of wave crests in alignment with the seabed
contours is called as refraction of waves.
It is practice to consider wave orthogonal/wave rays (imaginary lines
perpendicular to the wave crest) for representing the wave refraction
pattern.
Shallow water

Wave refraction causes change in the wave

height and direction (or pattern) of wave
approach.
Using the linear wave theory and assuming
no lateral transfer of wave energy, it is
possible to show by equating flux before
and after refraction that;

Seabed
contours

orthogonal
Wave crest

Deep water

In which,
Wave refraction study has engineering relevance. It helps in identifying the
wave energy concentration along a coast.
Dr. BALAJI Ramakrishnan, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil Engg., IIT Bombay. email: rbalaji@civil.iitb.ac.in

Wave transformation
Refraction

Seabed
contours

Changes in wave
direction and height due
to refraction on slopes
with straight, parallel
depth contours. (U.S.
Army Coastal
Engineering Research
Center, 1977.)

Dr. BALAJI Ramakrishnan, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil Engg., IIT Bombay. email: rbalaji@civil.iitb.ac.in

9/3/2012

Next...
Diffraction, Reflection & wave breaking

Dr. BALAJI Ramakrishnan, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil Engg., IIT Bombay. email: rbalaji@civil.iitb.ac.in