The general expression for the surface elevation in a progressive sinusoidal wave
moving at a velocity c in the positive x direction is given by
( x, t ) = A cos k ( x ct ) = A cos(kx t )
Where A defines the amplitude of the waves and the k is the wave number and is the
angular frequency which has the relationship of = kc with the wave number k and
phase velocity c.
t =0 = A cos kx
In radian measure, we can see that the wave number has the relationship of k = 2
with the wavelength .
The relationship between the phase velocity, the wavelength and the wave period is
given by = cT which means that it takes time T to go one wavelength with the
phase velocity c.
The linear wave theory is alternatively known as Airys theory, small amplitude
theory, and first-order theory. Developed by Airy(1845) and Laplace(1816), it is most
important of the classical theories because it is both easy use and it forms the basis for
the probabilistic spectral descriptions of waves. Results for linear small amplitude wave
theory are summarized in Table 3.1.
Some important notes about the results for linear wave theory are as follows.
-
The water particle velocities and particle accelerations are used in the Morisons
equation to compute the drag and inertial forces of these waves on offshore
structures.
The origin of the wave is arbitrary, which implies that a constant, arbitrary phase
angle cam be added to the term ( kx t ) in the formulas.
Some classical references define the coordinate z as positive downward, which has
the effect of reversing signs for those terms containing z.
A question that frequently arises concerns the selection of a wave theory for a given
situation. Although there are several bases for evaluating these various theories, no
consensus has yet emerged as to a common basis. As an example, Le Mehaute (1976)
provided Figure 3.10 to aid in selecting an appropriate theory. Here L denotes the wave
length ; H is the wave height (twice the amplitude A); HB is the value of H when the
wave breaks; and d is the water depth.
g
For deepwater, the phase velocity becomes c = ( tanh kd )1/ 2 g / k .
k
(2 ) 2
(2 ) 2
Using kcT = 2 , we get k g / k T = 2 and k =
=
= 0.0192 ft 1
gT 2
32.2(8) 2
3. Calculate u and w using Table 3.1.
From Table 3.1, we get
H cosh[k (d + z )]
u=
cos(kx t )
T
sinh kd
H sinh[ k (d + z )]
w=
sin(kx t )
T
sinh kd
Therefore the maximum values of u and w are obtained by substituting the numerical
values of H=2, T=8, k=0.0192, d=200, z=-10 in the above equations.
(2) cosh[0.0192(200 10)]
umax =
= 0.649 ft / sec
8
sinh[0.0192(200)]
(2) sinh[0.0192(200 10)]
wmax =
= 0.648 ft / sec
8
sinh[0.0192(200)]
We observe that the maximum particle velocities are very nearly identical and these
maximums do not occur at the same time. In deep water waves, we can see that water
particles show circular motions and they have the largest maximum values at the
surface.
HOMEWORK#5
Get the profiles of umax and of wmax by varying z form 0 to -200 ft in the example problem
3.1 and solve the problem 3.5 of the text book.