Infragravity Wave Motions and Runup over Shallow Fringing Reefs
Publication: Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering
Volume 136, Issue 6
Abstract
This paper presents the results of a combined laboratory and numerical investigation into the role of infragravity motions in the wave runup process over fringing coral reefs. Laboratory experiments were performed with a reef profile typical of fringing reef systems along the southeast coast of Guam. Spectral analysis of the measured time histories of surface elevation over the reef face and flats show significant changes to the wave energy spectrum shoreward of the break point. Most of the wave energy in the incident wave frequency band is dissipated within a few wavelengths of the reef face with the wave motions over the reef flat and shoreline dominated by oscillations at infragravity periods [O(100s) prototype]. The infragravity wave energy is minimum at the reef crest and increases as waves propagate shoreward over the reef flat and also with increasing water level on the reef. The dominant infragravity mode is the first reef oscillation mode with a wavelength approximately equal to four times the width of the reef flat. This component is resonantly amplified at the shoreline relative to the incident infragravity energy at the reef crest. A numerical model based on the Boussinesq equations is applied to the laboratory data and is able to describe complex changes to the wave spectrum over the reef flat due to nonlinear wave-wave interactions and wave breaking as well as runup at the shoreline.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the Surge and Wave Island Modeling Studies (SWIMS) and Navigation Systems programs of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center. Permission to publish this paper was granted by the Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
References
Battjes, J. A., and Janssen, J. P. F. M. (1978). “Energy loss and set-up due to breaking of random waves.” Proc., 16th Int. Conf. Coastal Eng., ASCE, Reston, Va., 569–587.
Bowers, E. C. (1977). “Harbour resonance due to set-down beneath wave groups.” J. Fluid Mech., 79, 71–92.
Carrier, G. F., and Greenspan, H. P. (1958). “Water waves of finite amplitude on a sloping beach.” J. Fluid Mech., 4, 97–109.
Demirbilek, Z., Nwogu, O. G., and Ward, D. L. (2007). “Laboratory study of wind effect on runup over fringing reefs. Report 1: Data report.” Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory Technical Rep. No. ERDC/CHL-TR-07-4. U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, Miss.
Demirbilek, Z., and Vincent, C. L. (2002). “Chapter II1: Wave mechanics. Part II: Hydrodynamics. Engineer manual 1110–2-1100.” Coastal engineering manual, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, D.C.
Gerritsen, F. (1980). “Wave attenuation and wave set-up on a coastal reef.” Proc., 17th Int. Conf. Coastal Eng., ASCE, Reston, Va., 444–461.
Gourlay, M. R. (1996a). “Wave set-up on coral reefs. 1. Set-up and wave-generated flow on an idealized two dimensional horizontal reef.” Coastal Eng., 27, 161–193.
Gourlay, M. R. (1996b). “Wave set-up on coral reefs. 2. Set-up on reefs with various profiles.” Coastal Eng., 28, 17–55.
Heitner, K. L., and Housner, G. W. (1970). “Numerical model for tsunami runup.” J. Wtrwy., Harb. and Coast. Engrg. Div., 96(3), 701–719.
Hunt, I. A. (1959). “Design of seawalls and breakwaters.” J. Wtrwy., Harb. and Coast. Engrg. Div., 85, 123–152.
Jaffe, B. E., and Richmond, B. M. 1993. “Overwash variability on the shoreline of Guam during Typhoon Russ.” Proc., 7th Int. Coral Reef Symp., University of Guam Press, UOG Station, Guam, 257–264.
Kennedy, A. B., Chen, Q., Kirby, J. T., and Dalrymple, R. A. (2000). “Boussinesq modeling of wave transformation, breaking, and runup. Part I: 1D.” J. Waterway, Port, Coastal, Ocean Eng., 126(1), 39–47.
Kobayashi, N., Otta, A. K., and Roy, I. (1987). “Wave reflection and runup in rough slopes.” J. Waterway, Port, Coastal, Ocean Eng., 113(3), 282–297.
Lee, T. T., and Black, K. P. (1978). “The energy spectra of surf waves on a coral reef.” Proc., 16th Int. Conf. Coastal Eng., ASCE, Reston, Va., 588–608.
List, J. H. (1986). “Wave groupiness as a source of nearshore long waves.” Proc., 20th Int. Conf. Coastal Eng., ASCE, Reston, Va., 497–511.
Liu, P. L.-F., and Orfila, A. (2004). “Viscous effects on transient long-wave propagation.” J. Fluid Mech., 520, 83–92.
Longuet-Higgins, M. S., and Stewart, R. W. (1964). “Radiation stress in water waves: Physical discussion with applications.” Deep-Sea Res., 11, 529–562.
Madsen, P. A., Sorensen, O. R., and Schaffer, H. A. (1997). “Surf zone dynamics simulated by a Boussinesq type model. Part I: Model description and cross-shore motion of regular waves.” Coastal Eng., 32, 255–287.
Massel, S. R., and Gourlay, M. R. (2000). “On the modelling of wave breaking and set-up on coral reefs.” Coastal Eng., 39, 1–27.
Masselink, G. (1995). “Group bound long waves as a source of infragravity energy in the surf zone.” Cont. Shelf Res., 15, 1525–1547.
McDonald, B. E., and Witting, J. M. (1984). “A conservation law related to Kelvin’s circulation theorem.” J. Comput. Phys., 56, 237–243.
Munk, W. H., and Sargent, M. C. (1948). “Adjustment of Bikini Atoll to ocean waves.” Trans., Am. Geophys. Union, 29, 855–860.
Nakaza, E., and Hino, M. (1991). “Bore-like surf beat in a reef zone caused by wave groups of incident short period waves.” Fluid Dyn. Res., 7, 89–100.
Nakaza, E., Tsukayama, S., and Hino, M. (1991). “Bore-like surf beat on reefs.” Proc., 22nd Int. Conf. Coastal Eng., ASCE, Reston, Va., 743–756.
Nwogu, O. (1993). “Alternative form of Boussinesq equations for nearshore wave propagation.” J. Waterway, Port, Coastal, Ocean Eng., 119(6), 618–638.
Nwogu, O., and Demirbilek, Z. (2001). “BOUSS-2D: Boussinesq wave model for coastal regions and harbors.” Technical Rep. No. ERDC/CHL TR-01-25. Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, Miss.
Nwogu, O. G. (2009). “Interaction of finite-amplitude waves with vertically sheared current fields.” J. Fluid Mech., 627, 179–213.
Ogg, J. G., and Koslow, J. A. (1978). “The impact of typhoon Pamela, 1976, on Guam’s coral reefs and beaches.” Pacific Science, 32, 105–118.
Raubenheimer, B., and Guza, R. T. (1996). “Observations and predictions of runup.” J. Geophys. Res., 101, 25,575–25,587.
Seelig, W. (1983). “Laboratory study of reef-lagoon system hydraulics.” J. Waterway, Port, Coastal, Ocean Eng., 109(4), 380–391.
Skotner, C., and Apelt, C. J. (1999). “Application of a Boussinesq model for the computation of breaking waves. Part II: Wave-induced setdown and setup on a submerged coral reef.” Ocean Eng., 26, 927–947.
Smagorinsky, J. (1963). “General circulation experiments with the primitive equations.” Mon. Weather Rev., 91, 99–164.
Svendsen, I. A. (1984). “Wave heights and set-up in a surf zone.” Coastal Eng., 8, 303–329.
Symonds, G., Black, K. P., and Young, I. R. (1995). “Wave-driven flow over shallow reefs.” J. Geophys. Res., 100, 2,639–2,648.
Symonds, G., Huntley, D., and Bowen, A. (1982). “Two dimensional surf-beat: Long wave generation by a time-varying break point.” J. Geophys. Res., 87, 492–498.
Tait, R. J. (1972). “Wave setup on coral reefs.” J. Geophys. Res., 77, 2207–2211.
Von Neumann, J., and Richtmyer, R. (1950). “A method for the numerical calculation of hydrodynamic shocks.” J. Appl. Phys., 21, 232–237.
Zelt, J. A. (1991). “The runup of nonbreaking and breaking solitary waves.” Coastal Eng., 15, 205–246.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2010 ASCE.
History
Received: Oct 23, 2009
Accepted: Jan 13, 2010
Published online: Feb 4, 2010
Published in print: Nov 2010
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.