Abstract
Although irregular ocean waves can be viewed as the summation of many wave components with different frequencies, accurate prediction of elevation evolution and kinematics is difficult due to the existence of nonlinear interactions among the wave components. A Hybrid Wave Model is developed to describe these nonlinear interactions between the wave components. In this study, the formulations of the Hybrid Wave Model are derived and examined to satisfy the basic hydrodynamic principles up to second order of the wave steepness. The numerical scheme as well as the software package based on the model are developed for the predictions of the short-distance wave evolution and kinematics of an irregular wave field. The numerical results are compared extensively with four sets of laboratory measurements as well as predictions using linear wave theory and its stretching and extrapolation modifications. The excellent agreement between the model predictions and the measurements confirms the advantages of the Hybrid Wave Model, and indicates great improvements both in accuracy and reliability over the other prediction methods, especially for steep and broad-banded wave trains.
Ye, Mao (1994). Predictions of undirectional irregular wave kinematics and evolution. Master's thesis, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /ETD -TAMU -1994 -THESIS -Y375.