SPH Modeling of Short-crested Waves

Abstract

This study investigates short-crested wave breaking over a planar beach by using the mesh-free Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics model, GPUSPH. The short-crested waves are created by generating intersecting wave trains in a numerical wave basin. We examine the influence of beach slope, incident wave height, and incident wave angle on the generated short-crested waves. Short-crested wave breaking over a steeper beach generates stronger rip currents, and larger circulation cells in front of the beach. Intersecting wave trains with a larger incident wave height drive a more complicated short-crested wave field including isolated breakers and wave amplitude diffraction. Nearshore circulation induced by short-crested wave breaking is greatly influenced by the incident wave angle (or the rip current spacing). There is no secondary circulation cell between the nodal line and the antinodal line if the rip current spacing is narrow. However, there are multiple secondary circulation cells observed when the rip current spacing is relatively large.