Bivariate kernel density estimation for environmental contours at two offshore sites

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper proposes a novel environmental contour line approach based on measured ocean wave data at two offshore sites. For implementing the novel environmental contour line approach, we propose the use of bivariate kernel density estimation with rigorous bandwidth selection based on the Scott-Tapia-Thompson estimation method. The environmental contours obtained by using the proposed novel approach have been compared with those obtained by using the traditional Inverse-First-Order Reliability Method (IFORM) with Rosenblatt transformation or principal component analysis, and the effectiveness of our proposed novel approach have been clearly substantiated. The research results in this paper demonstrate that our proposed novel approach can be utilised as an effective tool for generating environmental contours if one has sufficient data extending beyond the return period of interest.