Partial Standing Waves on a Steep Slope

Abstract

Measured free surface elevations and horizontal velocities of non-breaking regular waves on a 1:2 rough permeable slope are analyzed to examine the cross-shore variations of the incident and reflected waves on the steep slope. The co-located measurements of the free surface elevation and horizontal velocities at a number of elevations are used to separate the incident and reflected waves locally. The estimated partial standing waves are then shown to describe the local free surface elevation and horizontal velocity reasonably well. The incident wave energy flux is found to be approximately constant along the 1:2 slope, whereas the data and linear theory are not accurate enough to detect the cross-shore variation of the relative small wave reflection coefficient. The measured mean horizontal velocities are shown to be in qualitative agreement with the return current estimated from the separated incident and reflected waves.