WAVE DATA ANALYSIS AND STATISTICS

Wave data are collected by Manly Hydraulics Laboratory (MHL) under the NSW Coastal Data
Network Program managed by the Biodiversity and Conservation Division of the Department of
Planning, Industry and Environment. Directional Waverider® buoys, manufactured by the Dutch
company Datawell, are used in the NSW ocean wave monitoring network. Wave data are
transmitted from the Waverider buoy to a shore station where it is processed to produce wave data
statistics. The recorded bursts of wave data (normally 34 minutes long starting on the hour) are
digitised at 0.78-second and the data are conditioned to remove any erroneous data points. The
data are then analysed by two procedures, zero crossing analysis and spectral analysis.

ZERO CROSSING ANALYSIS

A widely accepted method to extract representative statistics from the raw wave data is the zero
crossing method. For this method, a ‘wave’ is defined as the portion of a record between two
successive zero up-crossings.

Zero Crossing Wave

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From the recorded bursts of wave data the waves are ranked in order of their height (with their
corresponding periods), and the following statistics computed:
Hsig : Significant wave height = average height of the waves which comprise the top 33%
H10 : Average height of the waves, which comprise the top 10%
Hmax : Maximum wave height in the recorded burst
Hrms : Root mean square wave height
Hmean : Mean wave height
Tz : Zero crossing period = mean period
Tsig : Significant period = average period of the waves used to define Hsig
Tc : Crest period = average time between successive crests (this involves a different
definition of a wave)

SPECTRAL ANALYSIS
One of the limitations of the zero crossing method is the poor definition of wave period. For
example, a swell with a dominant period of 10 seconds will suffer a reduction in Tz with a
superimposed locally generated sea. Both cases may, however, have a similar effect on a
coastal structure. Further, the response of a structure, harbour or beach may be strongly
dependent on wave period. In these cases an analysis that accounts for all components of
wave period should be used.

The spectral analysis procedure is more complex than the zero crossing analysis and a
detailed explanation is beyond the scope of these notes. However, put simply, spectral
analysis provides a method to examine the energy level of a range of wave periods. Using
spectral analysis it is therefore possible to determine the period of the waves with the most
energy. This statistic, known as TP1, provides a more representative wave period for ocean
waves than the zero crossing analysis.

WAVE DIRECTION
The offshore wave direction greatly influences the exposure of a beach, harbour or coastal
structure to wave activity. Wave direction is therefore an important parameter in most coastal
zone studies.

The Directional Waverider buoy utilises a heave-pitch-roll sensor, two fixed ‘X’ and ‘Y’
accelerometers and a three axis fluxgate compass to measure both vertical and horizontal
motion at a sample rate of 1.28 Hz (0.78 seconds). A single point mooring is used, with
horizontal freedom ensured by the inclusion of a 30 m rubber shock cord in the mooring
system. An on-board processor converts the buoy motion to three orthogonal (vertical, north-
south, east-west) translation signals that are telemetered to the shore station. The directional
spectrum is also routinely calculated by the buoy and transmitted to the receiving station for
reformatting and storage prior to transfer to MHL via the internet.

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USE OF ANALYSED WAVE STATISTICS

The analysed wave statistics define the wave conditions at the Waverider buoy site. The
height and direction of waves propagating from the Waverider buoy location to the shoreline
are altered due to refraction, diffraction, shoaling, attenuation due to seabed friction losses and
wave breaking. Wave statistics therefore can only provide an indication of wave conditions at
locations other than the Waverider buoy site. Furthermore, within protected waters such as
bays and harbours there is often no relationship with offshore wave conditions due to the
sheltering effects of headlands and reefs and the influence of locally generated wind waves.

Often users of wave data are interested in the ocean swell height and period. The wave
statistics that best define the swell are the Significant Wave Height (Hsig) and Peak Spectral
Period (TP1). It is important to note that the Hsig represents an average of many wave heights
recorded during a sampling period. The individual Maximum Wave Height (Hmax) recorded
during the same sampling period may be up to twice the height of the calculated Hsig.

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