Algorithm to Develop Wave Scatter Table From Hindcast Data

Abstract

Abstract Any offshore structure requires engineering feasibility and fatigue study during the design and/or maintenance process. The studies mentioned above require an understanding of wave loading on the structure. Most wave loading studies consider wave scatter diagrams. However, the probability of wave occurrence depicted on wave scatter diagram change over region, season and period. Hence, the study based on any static wave diagram doesn’t reflect the probability of wave occurrence for a required region. Further, these waves scatter diagrams are not readily available for the specific local region of interest. Hence, in this study, an algorithm is developed to make a wave scatter diagram using hindcast Australian Meteorological data for a local region for a particular season or period of time. The data has 0.4 × 0.4 degrees spatial and one-hour temporal resolution and contain mean, wind and swell sea state; hence enables to make wave scatter diagram for mean, wind and swell sea for any offshore application. The advantage of the proposed hindcast wave scatter diagram includes flexibility and ease of customising wave scatter for any region, season or period of time compared to available sea area-specific wave scatter diagram. Also, the hindcast model is very well tested and updated regularly and hence wave scatter diagram is developed based on recently validated data. Since these data are free, making a more reliable and accurate wave scatter diagram is free. Additionally, in this study, the graphical comparison of the hindcast wave diagram with two additional sources for the North Atlantic wave and Australian water is provided for validation. The graphical comparison shows the differences and similarities of the wave scatter diagrams over different regions, seasons and periods.