Combined refraction and diffraction of short waves using the dual-reciprocity boundary-element method

Abstract

Short waves are those with a wavelength-to-depth ratio of less than approximately 20; they play an important role in coastal sediment transport as well as the harbour oscillations with which coastal engineers are concerned. It is usually much more difficult to numerically model the combined effects of the refraction and diffraction of short waves in coastal regions, due to the fact that a large number of grid points is usually required if the computational domain itself must be discretized. In this paper, the dual-reciprocity boundary-element method (DRBEM) model developed by Zhu [ Eng. Anal. with Boundary Elements, 12 (1993) 261–74] is further applied to the case of waves with short wavelengths. The model's excellent accuracy and efficiency in modelling short waves is further established after some of our preliminary results are compared with corresponding previously published numerical and experimental data.