DERIVATION OF WATER PARTICLE KINEMATICS IN THE NEAR SURFACE ZONE BY THE EFFECTIVE WATER DEPTH PROCEDURE

摘要

Linear Random Wave Theory (LRWT) is frequently used to simulate water particle kinematics at different nodes of an offshore structure from a reference surface elevation record. However, it is well known that LRWT leads to water particle kinematics with exaggerated high-frequency components in the vicinity of mean water level (MWL). To avoid this problem, empirical techniques (such as Wheeler & vertical stretching methods) are frequently used to provide a more realistic representation of the wave kinematics in the near surface zone. In this paper, a modified version of LRWT, based on the derivation of an effective water depth, is introduced. The proposed technique leads to predicted kinematics (in the near surface zone) which lie between corresponding values from the Wheeler and the vertical stretching methods. Furthermore, it does not suffer from exaggerated high-frequency components in the near surface zone.