Experiments and computation of onshore breaking solitary waves

This is a combined experimental and computational study of solitary waves that break on-shore. Velocities and accelerations are measured by a two-camera PIV technique and compared to theoretical values from an Euler model with a VOF method for the free surface. In particular, the dynamics of a so-called collapsing breaker is scrutinized and the closure between the breaker and the beach is found to be akin to slamming. To the knowledge of the authors, no velocity measurements for this kind of breaker have been previously reported.