Three-dimensional ( 3-D) directional wave focusing is one of the mechanisms that contribute to the generation of freak waves. To simulate and analyze this phenomenon,a 3-D wave focusing model is proposed based on the enhanced high-order spectral method,which solves the fully nonlinear potential flow equations with a free surface within periodic unbounded 3-D domains. The numerical model is validated against a fifth-order Stokes solution for regular waves. Laboratory-scale freak waves are observed with wave components having equal amplitudes. Investigations of the appearance and propagation of freak-wave events in a 3-D open wavefield defined by a directional wave spectrum are then realized.
展开▼