First- and second-order wave generation theory

Abstract

The first-order and the second-order wave generation theory is studied in this paper. The theory is based on the fully nonlinear water wave equations. The nonlinear boundary value problem (BVP) is solved using a series expansion method. Using this method, the problem becomes a set of linear, signalling problems according to the expansion order. The first-order theory leads to a homogeneous BVP. It is a system with the first-order steering of the wavemaker motion as input and the surface wave field with propagating and evanescent modes as output. The second-order theory leads to a nonhomogeneous BVP. It is a system where the second-order steering of the wavemaker motion is prescribed in such a way that the second-order part of the surface elevation far from the wavemaker contains only the bound wave component and the free wave component vanishes. The second-order surface wave elevation consists of a superposition of bichromatic frequencies.