Estimation and Analysis of Extreme Maximum Wave Heights

Abstract

Extreme wave height is the most decisive parameter in the design and survival of variety of coastal engineering activities like port and harbour infrastructures, beach management schemes and flood risk analysis. Although the initial focus of this study was in the estimation of return values for significant wave heights, it is important to arrive at the design wave height with utmost caution after a rigorous analysis, as both safety, as well as the cost of investment, are involved. Hence, in the present study, the extreme wave heights for different return periods were estimated not only for significant wave heights (Hs) but also for the maximum individual wave heights (Hmax), assuming the individual wave height measurements are Rayleigh distributed. In order to carry out the analysis envisaged herein, long-time series of ERA-Interim significant wave height hindcast data covering a period of 36 years i.e., from 1979 to 2014 were employed along with the polynomial approximation method of extreme wave analysis.