TY - JOUR

T1 - Flow and sediment transport induced by a plunging solitary wave

AU - Sumer,B. Mutlu

AU - Sen,M.Berke

AU - Karagali,Ioanna

AU - Ceren,Barkin

AU - Fredsøe,Jørgen

AU - Sottile,Matteo

AU - Zilioli,L.

AU - Fuhrman,David R.

PY - 2011

Y1 - 2011

N2 - Two parallel experiments involving the evolution and runup of plunging solitary waves on a sloping bed were conducted: (1) a rigid-bed experiment, allowing direct (hot film) measurements of bed shear stresses, and (2) a sediment-bed experiment, allowing for the measurement of pore-water pressures, and for observation of the morphological changes. The two experimental conditions were maintained as similar as possible. The experiments showed that the complete sequence of the plunging solitary wave involves the following processes: Shoaling and wave breaking; Runup; Rundown and hydraulic jump; and Trailing wave. The bed shear stress measurements showed that the mean bed shear stress increases tremendously (with respect to that in the approaching wave boundary layer), by as much as a factor of 8, in the runup and rundown stages, and that the r.m.s. value of the fluctuating component of the bed shear stress is also affected, by as much as a factor of 2, in the runup and hydraulic jump stages. The pore-water pressure measurements showed that the sediment at (or near) the surface of the bed experiences upward-directed pressure gradient forces during the downrush phase. The magnitude of this force can reach values as much as approximately 30% of the submerged weight of the sediment. The experiments further showed that the sediment transport occurs in the sheet flow regime for a substantial portion of the beach covering the area where the entire sequence of the wave breaking takes place. The bed morphology is explained qualitatively in terms of the measured bed shear stress and the pressure gradient forces.

AB - Two parallel experiments involving the evolution and runup of plunging solitary waves on a sloping bed were conducted: (1) a rigid-bed experiment, allowing direct (hot film) measurements of bed shear stresses, and (2) a sediment-bed experiment, allowing for the measurement of pore-water pressures, and for observation of the morphological changes. The two experimental conditions were maintained as similar as possible. The experiments showed that the complete sequence of the plunging solitary wave involves the following processes: Shoaling and wave breaking; Runup; Rundown and hydraulic jump; and Trailing wave. The bed shear stress measurements showed that the mean bed shear stress increases tremendously (with respect to that in the approaching wave boundary layer), by as much as a factor of 8, in the runup and rundown stages, and that the r.m.s. value of the fluctuating component of the bed shear stress is also affected, by as much as a factor of 2, in the runup and hydraulic jump stages. The pore-water pressure measurements showed that the sediment at (or near) the surface of the bed experiences upward-directed pressure gradient forces during the downrush phase. The magnitude of this force can reach values as much as approximately 30% of the submerged weight of the sediment. The experiments further showed that the sediment transport occurs in the sheet flow regime for a substantial portion of the beach covering the area where the entire sequence of the wave breaking takes place. The bed morphology is explained qualitatively in terms of the measured bed shear stress and the pressure gradient forces.

KW - Turbulent flow

KW - Solitary waves

KW - Beach

KW - Wind power meteorology

KW - Breaking waves

KW - Waves

KW - Sediment transport

KW - Wind Energy

KW - Vindkraftmeteorologi

KW - Vindenergi

U2 - 10.1029/2010JC006435

DO - 10.1029/2010JC006435

M3 - Journal article

VL - 116

SP - C01008

JO - Journal of Geophysical Research

T2 - Journal of Geophysical Research

JF - Journal of Geophysical Research

SN - 0148-0227

IS - 1

ER -