AN INTRODUCTION

WAVE MECHANICS

Scope
Wave generation
Regular Linear waves
Wave Charecteristics

Introduction
Ocean surface waves cause periodic loads on all
man-made structures in the sea
Responses: accelerations, displacements, internal
loads
Effects of waves & resulting motions on ships:

Added resistance
Impaired safety
Affect operations of weapons & equipment
Affect aircraft/ helo operations
Affect humans

Wave generation
Waves generated by a ship or any other floating structure which is
moving, either at a constant forward speed or by carrying out an
oscillatory motion.
Waves generated by the interaction between wind and the sea
surface.
Waves generated by astronomical forces: Tides.
Waves generated by earthquakes or submarine landslides: Tsunamis.
Interaction of ocean currents can create very large wave system
Free surface waves generated in fluids in partially filled tanks; such
as fuel or cargo tanks on a ship.
No single mathematical solution
Approximations required: be aware of simplifications

Tsunami

Wind generated wave systems

The size of the wave system is dependent on the following
factors
Wind Strength :
The faster the wind speed, the larger the energy transfer to the sea.
Larger waves are generated by strong winds.

Wind Duration :
The longer wind blows, the greater the time the sea has to become
fully developed at that wind speed.

Water Depth :
Wave heights are affected by water depth.
Waves traveling to beach will turn into breaking wave by a depth
effect.

Fetch
Fetch is the area of water that is being influenced by the wind.
The larger the fetch, the more efficient the energy transfer between
wind and sea.

Wave creation sequence

Wi
nd
En
erg

Ripple
(high freq.)

Energy Dissipation
due to viscous friction

Small Wave or dying out

(Wind energy <Dissipation Energy)
Fully Developed Wave
(Wind energy =Dissipation Energy)
Wind energy >Dissipation Energy
Swell (low frequency long wave)

Wind-generated waves
Sea
Train of waves driven by the prevailing local
wind field
Short-crested with the lengths of the crests only
a few (2-3) times the apparent wavelength
Very irregular
Multi-directional
Crests are fairly sharp
Apparent wave period & apparent wave length
vary continuously

Wind-generated waves
Swell
Waves which have propagated out of the area
and local wind in which they were generated
No longer dependent upon the wind
Individual waves are more regular and the
crests are more rounded
Lengths of the crests are longer: several (6-7)
times the virtual wave length
Wave height is more predictable

Superposition principle
Wind waves are very irregular
Can be seen as a superposition of
many simple, regular harmonic wave
components, each with its own
amplitude, length, period or frequency
and direction of propagation
To analyze complicated wave systems,
it is necessary to know the properties
of the simple harmonic components
time and location-dependent pressure in
the fluid
relation between wave length and wave
period
energy transport, etc.

Regular Waves: Definitions

Origin & conventions

Crest, Trough, Amplitude (a ), Height (H= 2 a )
Wave length (), Wave Period (T)
Wave steepness = H/
Zero crossings
Wave number (k=2/ ); Circular frequency (= 2/ T)
Phase velocity (c = /T = /k)

Basic Categories
Deep water waves (short waves)
The water is considered to be deep if the water depth, h,
is more than half the wavelength,
Thus, h/ > 1/2 or /h < 2
These (relatively) short waves do not feel the sea
floor.

Shallow water waves (long waves)

The water is considered to be shallow if the water
depth, h, is less than 1/20 of the wave length,
Thus, h/ < 1/20 or /h > 20.
The sea floor has a very large influence on the
characteristics of these (relatively) long waves.

Linear Wave theory

Progressive harmonic wave:
= a cos(kx- t)
Linear wave theory: water
surface slope is very small
Wave steepness is small
Harmonic displacements,
velocities, accelerations &
pressures have linear relation
with wave surface elevation
Profile of such a wave looks
like sine/ cosine
Motion of water particle in
wave depends on depth below
SWL

Relations for Linear Waves

Continuity (Laplace equation)
Boundary Conditions
Sea bed
Free surface dynamic
Free surface kinematic

Dispersion relation: 2 = g.k. tanh(kh)

- Deep water: 2 = g.k or 1.56 T2
- Shallow water: =k.gh or = T.gh
Phase velocity:
- Deep water: c = (g/k) or c 1.25 1.56 T
- Shallow water: c= gh (critical velocity)

Velocity field of water particles

In shallow water wave

In deep water wave

Trajectories of water
particles

Wave group

Group Velocity
In deep water,
cg = c/2
In shallow water,
cg = c