Wave Run-up Research Articles

Landslide-Induced Wave Run-Up Prediction Based on Large-Scale Geotechnical Experiment: A Case Study of Wangjiashan Landslide Area of Baihetan Reservoir, China

When a landslide mass enters a water body, it generates waves that propagate along the river channel, climb up upon reaching the riverbank, and impact nearby residential areas. To investigate the characteristics of wave run-up on a three-dimensional terrain, this study established a large-scale 3D physical model with a scale of 1:150 (dimensions: 64 m × 40 m × 3 m) based on the geological features of a specific amphibious landslide. The results show that the landslide-induced waves can partially inundate nearby residential areas. The unique terrain formed by the combination of residential areas and the southern riverbank amplifies the wave run-up height. A predictive formula was used to estimate the wave run-up height during wave convergence. This study provides valuable insights for predicting wave run-up heights in three-dimensional terrains. Considering the influence of different water levels on wave run-up, the study can be used to optimize water level regulation.

Measurements of groundwater, hydrodynamics, and sand characteristics at a dissipative sea turtle nesting beach

Beach groundwater and nearshore hydrodynamic data were collected during a field experiment along two dissipative beach transects on Galveston Island, Texas, in the fall of 2023. The monitored beaches serve as nesting habitat for the critically endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle. Conditions ranged from calm to stormy, with two storms occurring during the experiment, inundating the entire beach up to the dune toe. Collected hydrodynamic data include readings from pressure loggers submerged in the foreshore and mounted in groundwater wells in the backshore, data from two wave buoys about 1.5 km offshore, and GoPro timestacks of the instantaneous waterline (wave runup). Other collected data include bathymetry and topography surveys, subsurface temperature and moisture content readings, and sediment characteristics. This comprehensive dataset can be used to (1) study relevant beach inundation and groundwater processes, including their effect on the local ecosystem (e.g., repeated flooding of sea turtle nests), (2) study the propagation of nearshore hydrodynamic processes into the beach matrix and groundwater table, and (3) validate existing beach groundwater models.

An experimental study on wave run-ups of fixed four-rounded-square-column array in focused waves

An experimental study on wave run-ups of fixed four-rounded-square-column array in focused waves

Numerical Simulation Study on Dominant Factors of Surge Hazards in Semi-Submerged Landslides

Landslide-generated surge waves are significant natural hazards, posing severe risks to engineering safety. Despite extensive research on the dynamics of landslide-generated waves, studies analyzing controlling factors and their mechanisms remain limited, leaving key influencing processes inadequately understood. This study utilizes computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to perform a numerical simulation of a semi-submerged landslide in a hydropower station reservoir area. The research systematically investigated the effects of key variables, including slide volume, velocity, centroid height, and water depth, on the behavior of semi-submerged landslide-generated surge waves. Results demonstrate a positive correlation of slide volume, velocity, and centroid height with the initial wave height and run-up on the opposing shoreline. However, the impact of water depth reveals a more complex pattern, exhibiting distinct surge characteristics in the near-field and far-field zones. Via correlation and sensitivity analyses, this study elucidated the relationships between these factors and surge dynamics, identifying the primary factors influencing the size of the semi-submerged landslide-generated surge. The findings provide critical insights for predicting and mitigating surge disasters, offering both theoretical foundations and practical application value for landslide disaster prevention and management.

Numerical and Experimental Study on the Hydrodynamic Performance of a Sloping OWC Wave Energy Converter Device Integrated into Breakwater

This study presents numerical and experimental investigations on an oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy device integrated into a sloping breakwater. Regular waves were generated in a physical wave tank to investigate the hydrodynamic performance and extraction efficiency of the small-scale nested OWC device. Simultaneously, to complement various scenarios, numerical simulations were conducted using the open-source computational fluid dynamics platform OpenFOAM. The volume of fluid (VOF) method was employed to capture the complex evolution of the air–water interface, and an artificial source term (Forchheimer flow region) was introduced into the Navier–Stokes equations to replace the power take-off (PTO) system. By analyzing wave reflection properties, energy absorption efficiency, and wave run-up, the hydrodynamic characteristics of the inclined OWC device were explored. The comparison between the numerical and experimental results indicate a good consistence. A smaller front wall draft broadens the high-efficiency frequency bandwidth. For relatively long waves, increasing the air chamber width enhances energy conversion efficiency and reduces wave run-up. The optimal configuration was achieved with the following dimensionless parameters: front wall draft a/h=1/3, air chamber width d1/h=2/9, and slope i=2. Due to the sloped structure, when compared with a vertical OWC, long waves can more easily enter the chamber. This causes the efficient frequency bandwidth to shift towards the low frequency range, allowing more wave energy to be converted into pneumatic energy. As a result, wave run-up is reduced, enhancing the protective function of the breakwater.

Numerical Simulation of Run-Up Wave Using Nonlinear Shallow Water Equations with Staggered Grid at Canti Beach, South Lampung

Tsunamis, wave triggered by underwater earthquakes or volcanic eruptions, can achieve significant run-up heights upon reaching shore. Run-up refers to the maximum vertical distance a tsunami wave reaches above the normal sea level. This study employs a numerical model to simulate the run-up wave at Canti Beach, South Lampung Regency, during the 2018 Sunda Strait tsunami. The method approximates solutions to the shallow water model consisting of mass and momentum conservation equations using the finite difference method in staggered grid grids and incorporates the upwind method for nonlinear terms. Bathymetry data from GEBCO was projected in two dimensions using the haversine formula. The numerical scheme includes a wet-dry procedure for simulating run-up waves. Results indicate that waves with a 60-second period and 0.09-meter amplitude create a 40.0195-meter inundation area, although this amplitude is significantly lower than the observed data from the 2018 Sunda Strait tsunami. Additionally, a simulation with a 0.1-meter amplitude results in a 1.8299-meter run-up height, closely matching the observed data. This study demonstrates that nonlinear shallow water equations can effectively estimate run-up height and inundation area at Canti Beach.

A New Grid-Slat Fusion Device to Improve the Take-Off and Landing Performance of Amphibious Seaplanes

To reduce the aerodynamic performance degradation caused by the sculling phenomenon on the flap of amphibious seaplanes, this study proposes a grid-slat fusion design method that integrates grid channels into the slats to create multiple lift surfaces. This new configuration enhances not only the lift capacity of the slats but also the lift characteristics of the main wing, leveraging ejector effects from the grid channels. A grid-slat fusion configuration parametrization method is developed based on the “new conic curve” concept, and an optimization approach is implemented using the NSGA-II algorithm. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) verification of the 30P30N airfoil demonstrates that the grid-slat fusion design enhances the lift-to-drag ratio of the optimized 2D configuration by up to 8.5% at a specific condition, thereby significantly improving its aerodynamic performance at high angles of attack and meeting the requirements for take-off and landing. The three-dimensional configuration demonstrates a stall angle of attack delay of 2° and a maximum lift coefficient increase of 6%. Furthermore, the grid-slat composite configuration allows a better lift-to-drag ratio, and its aerodynamic characteristics improve with increasing wave height. During the wave runup phase, aerodynamic performance is further enhanced, with different wave positions significantly influencing the aerodynamic performance.

Impacts of an Artificial Sandbar on Wave Transformation and Runup over a Nourished Beach

Due to increasing coastal flooding and erosion in changing climate and rising sea level, there is a growing need for coastal protection and ecological restoration. Artificial sandbars have become popular green coastal infrastructure to protect coasts from these natural hazards. To assess the effect of an artificial sandbar on wave transformation over a beach under normal and storm wave conditions, a high-resolution non-hydrostatic model based on XBeach is established at the laboratory scale. Under normal wave conditions, wave energy is mainly concentrated in short wave frequency bands. The wave setup is negligible on the shoreface but becomes more significant over the beach face, and wave nonlinearity increases with decreasing water depth. The artificial sandbar reduces the wave setup by 22% and causes considerable changes in wave skewness, wave asymmetry, and flow velocity. Under storm wave conditions, as the incident wave height increases, the wave energy in the long wave frequency bands rises, while it decreases in the short wave frequency bands. The wave dissipation coefficient of an artificial sandbar increases first and then decreases with increasing incident wave height, and the opposite is true with the transmission coefficient. It features that the effect of an artificial sandbar on wave energy dissipation strengthens first and then weakens with increasing incident wave height. Additionally, an empirical formula for the wave runup was proposed based on the model results of the wave runup for storm wave conditions. The study reveals the complex processes of wave–structure–coast interactions and provides scientific evidence for the design of an artificial sandbar in beach nourishment projects.

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF WAVE DAMPING INDUCED BY VEGETATION ON SOLITARY WAVE RUN-UP WITH MOMENTUM CONSERVATIVE SCHEME

In this paper, the damping effects of vegetation are investigated in shallow water model. Wave dissipation due to the inertia and drag force induced by vegetation is implemented based on Morison’s formulation. The dissipation term is added in momentum equation. The non-linear model is then solved numerically using momentum conservative scheme on staggered grid domain. To validate the numerical scheme, simulations of solitary wave propagation without vegetation are conducted and compared to the exact solution and laboratory experiment. Besides, several simulations of solitary wave with vegetation on sloping beach are also conducted with varying plant stem density. The numerical results reveal that vegetation significantly reduces the velocity of wave propagation. Additionally, an increase in vegetation stem density correlates with a decrease in solitary wave run-up.

The effect of shallow water bathymetry on swash and surf zone modelled by SWASH

Submerged topography in shallow waters is fundamental in the propagation and dissipation of ocean waves in the surf and swash zones. However, obtaining accurate bathymetric data in this region is challenging due to the high temporal and spatial environmental variability. The bottom boundary condition can directly affect the accuracy of numerical models used for shallow water simulations. In this study, the performance of the SWASH numerical model in describing wave runup in the swash zone is assessed using different bathymetric boundary conditions. The first method involves using data measured in the surf zone obtained by a Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and analyzing it using the cBathy algorithm. The second method utilizes a regular bathymetric mesh generated from Dean’s equilibrium profile combined with beach topography data. The third method relies exclusively on interpolation methods using data from deep waters and beach profiles. This interpolation approach is the most used among SWASH users when detailed or updated surf zone bathymetry is unavailable. Based on the numerical simulations performed, not incorporating data from the surf zone resulted in a 4% increase in the runup estimated and approximately a 2% difference in identifying the swash zone position. The method to obtain bathymetry through the cBathy algorithm, used in this article, is cost-effective and can be used to reduce uncertainties in surf zone numerical simulations, induced by the lack of knowledge about the bottom conditions.

Predicting wave run-up on vertical columns based on thermal stereography measurements

Accurate estimation of wave run-up is crucial for the design and safety of marine structures. To facilitate more precise and convenient predictions of wave run-up on vertical columns, including circular and square columns, many empirical formulas have been proposed. However, those derived from wave probe measurements typically underestimate the maximum wave run-up height due to the inability of wire-type wave gauges to closely adhere to the column surface. This study employed the non-contact wave measurement technology based on thermal stereography to measure the wave run-up distributions on vertical columns under regular waves, providing a more accurate measurements of wave run-up closer to the column surface. Utilizing the measurements, a modified formula was proposed to predict the wave run-up on circular columns. Additionally, considering the effects of scattering parameter (kD) and wave steepness (kηmax), a new empirical formula for predicting the wave run-up on square columns was developed based on the velocity stagnation head theory. These formulas were validated using the experimental data from the present study and the literature, demonstrating their ability to provide satisfactory wave run-up predictions. Furthermore, the spatiotemporal wave evolution for circular and square columns were compared. The wave profile in front of the circular cylinder at a half diameter tends to flatten, with water flowing along the cylinder surface to the sides, leading to a significantly lower wave run-up height ratio compared to the square column. This study provides the valuable insights for predicting the wave run-up on vertical columns, contributing to the design and safety assurance of marine structures.

Tsunami Vulnerability Study in Ngambur and Bengkunat Districts, West Coast of Lampung Using COMCOT

Bengkunat and Ngambur districts are located in West Pesisir Regency, Lampung Province, these are located on the southern coast of the island of Sumatra. Tsunami disasters can occur at any time if there is a generator such as a seafloor earthquake and cannot be predicted when it will occur and will be destructive or not. This research is modeling wave propagation using COMCOT program to determine tsunami wave propagation, run-up, arrival time and inundation. The magnitude scenarios used are 6.5, 7.5 and 8.5. Tsunami waves in Bengkunat and Ngambur districts showed destructive tsunami potential in each scenario. Wave height, wave inundation area and wave arrival time vary due to differences in magnitude as well as the geographical conditions of the coast and its bathymetry. The higher the magnitude, the higher the wave height and the faster the arrival time. Pagar Bukit, Suka Negara, Muara Tembulih and Sumber Agung are villages with significant damage because the wave height is above 8 m with arrival times ranging from 29-34 minutes. While Padang Dalam, Gedung Cahaya Kuningan and Parda Suka, the wave height is between 2-6 meters with a time ranging from 35-39 minutes, Inundation at magnitude 6.5 only hits the coastal area only as far as 220 meters, but at magnitude 7.5 inundation reaches about 2.4 kilometers while at magnitude 8.5 inundation reaches 3.4 kilometers.

Computational Analysis of Tsunami Wave Run-Up by Implementation of TIMPULSE-SIM Model with Japan and Indonesian Seismic Tsunami

The alternative newly developed TIMPULSE-SIM model is used for forecasting all three phases of seismic/earthquake-induced tsunami waves. The main objective of this modeling is to predict the earliest arrival time of tsunami with less computation time. This paper analyses the third phase or the run-up phase of tsunami. The assessment of tsunami wave run-up minimize the risk in coastal community due to the tsunami impact. The paper introduces a closed set of algebraic expressions for modeling the run-up phase and the reliability of the model is analyzed by implementing and testing of this model to the two major historical seismic tsunami are, 2004 Indonesian Subduction zone tsunami in Indian ocean region, 2011 Great east Japan tsunami in Pacific ocean region. From this study, this proposed model should be a good alternative to the existing model for applying to the real time tsunami event because it includes the nonlinearity and frequency dispersion of wave, and applied to both near and far field tsunamis, efficient to apply for a long duration, mainly the computation time is achieved in O(minutes). More than 90 percentage of accuracy achieved in this model by validating the simulated results with the historical and other existing model that emphasize the model’s reliability.

A novel back analysis framework for the probabilistic risk assessment of subaerial landslide-induced tsunami hazard

Numerical simulation is important for the risk assessment of subaerial landslide-induced tsunami (SLIT) hazards; however, their predictive performances are thus far limited as these works fail to consider the involved uncertainties. We propose a novel probabilistic risk assessment framework for quantifying several uncertainties, such as the model parameters and bias. We successfully couple the numerical simulation and Bayesian-based back analysis method. The wave height and run-up are captured by a three-dimensional granular-flow landslide and renormalization group turbulence model in FLOW3D; furthermore, the relevant parameter information is calibrated using a Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm with the differential evolution adaptive metropolis. In this framework, which incorporates the prior information of model parameters, and field observations, as well as numerical model bias, calibrated parameters exhibit a probability distribution with a small standard deviation, facilitating improved risk prediction capabilities; In addition, the optimized adaptive Kriging-based surrogate model with multiple outputs is established to reduce the computation cost of the framework with acceptable accuracy. The framework's outputs, including a spatial probability that tsunamis inundate elements at risk, and a hazard zonation map, contribute to the evaluation of SLIT hazards and prioritize mitigation measures. Our work introduces a paradigm for the application of the framework, demonstrated through studies of two landslides in Wu Gorge. Without loss of generality, the framework offers a novel perspective for the quantitative assessment of SLIT hazards.

Numerical modelling of pump-driven tsunami generation and fluid-structure-interaction in idealized urbanized coastal areas during run-up

Tsunami wave inundations are still one of the most devastating natural disasters worldwide. Tsunamis striking a settlement frequently devastate much of its infrastructure. In instances where infrastructure withstands the tsunami’s actions, it acts as a flow resistance for the wave’s run-up, altering inundation dynamics and flow depth. Accurately predicting the complex dynamics of tsunami wave run-up in densely populated urban areas is paramount for informing effective evacuation protocols and conducting comprehensive hazard and risk assessments. In pursuit of improving wave run-up prediction capabilities, this study delves into the three-dimensional numerical modelling of wave run-up of non-breaking, long tsunami waves in urbanized areas. Leveraging insights from a physical experiment with pump-driven wave generation and idealized infrastructure, a novel pressure-based wave generation boundary condition is developed. The boundary condition achieves an average of 4.9% accuracy in replicating the water surface elevation from experiments. Additionally, it attains an average 1.5% precision in reproducing flow velocities, furthermore reproducing the spatial flow dynamics accurately. Physical experiment wave run-up is modelled with an average 6.9% deviation for both simulations with and without idealized infrastructure. 63.0% higher non-linearity waves than in the physical experiments are additionally investigated to highlight the boundary conditions capabilities of high non-linearity wave generation, change in run-up reduction for higher non-linearity waves for infrastructure interaction and furthermore in-depth flow field characteristics during tsunami inundation. Finally, the study highlights deviations from analytically calculated wave run-up, emphasizing the necessity for numerical and physical experimental evaluation for both high non-linearity waves and tsunami infrastructure interaction, ultimately fostering both resilience and preparedness against tsunami hazards.

3D WCSPH modelling of landslide-water dynamics during 1963 Vajont disaster

This study illustrates the full-scale 3D numerical simulation of the coupled water-landslide dynamics of the 1963 Vajont catastrophic event. The focus is given to the early phase of the event when about 270 million cubic meters of rock fell into the reservoir within an estimated runout time of about 25 s. A complex surge wave system developed throughout the basin in the first 40–55 s, producing maximum run-up of 270 m above the dam crowning. The mesh-free Lagrangian Weakly Compressible Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (WCSPH) method is adopted to discretize and solve the coupled system of governing equations for the landslide and water dynamics. The adopted model, which is based on SPHERA v.9.0.0 (Amicarelli et al. Comput Phys Commun, 2020), has been derived by introducing relevant modifications in the research code SPHERA (RSE SpA). The derived model is validated and the influence of water saturated soil on prediction of surge wave run-up is analysed. The average values from technical literature are assigned to mechanical parameters without tuning or calibration. The maximum flooding on the opposite side of the valley and the peak flow rate of the discharge hydrograph through the dam section show good agreement with reference data and improvements with respect to published results. The validated derived model proves to be a promising engineering tool for quantifying the level of risk in analogous applications.

Beach nourishment response and recent morphological evolution of Minnesota Point, Lake Superior

Beach nourishments are a popular nature-based alternative to armoring for shoreline erosion mitigation, but nourishments have been criticized due to their environmental impacts and uncertain sustainability. Monitoring is often nonexistent or insufficient to constrain nourishment longevity and inform the renourishment interval required to maintain shoreline protection. This study uses a combination of topobathymetric surveys, high-resolution satellite-derived shorelines, and coastal engineering analyses to investigate the recent evolution of Minnesota Point and the fate of three beach nourishments constructed adjacent to littoral barriers. We use semi-empirical formulations for sediment compatibility, wave runup, and longshore sediment transport to inform the observed nourishment behavior. Minnesota Point experienced widespread foredune retreat averaging 7±2.8 m from 2009–2019 and 130,000 (70,000–140,000) m3 of sediment was eroded during this interval. The 2019 nourishment at the Superior Entry was rapidly eroded by strong storms, losing >80% of the added beach width by the following spring. The 2020 and 2021 nourishments at the Duluth Entry retained >80% of the nourishment material at the time of the last topobathymetric survey in the fall of 2022, and satellite-derived shorelines indicate that the beach remained 10 m wider than pre-nourishment conditions at the end of 2023. Modeled longshore transport rates over the period 2009–2022 averaged 11,400 m3 yr−1 northwestward at the Superior Entry, nearly 3x greater than the 4000 m3 yr−1 southeastward transport modeled at the Duluth Entry. These observations show that differences in shoreline orientation, littoral sediment supply, and grain size compatibility can lead to contrasting beach nourishment longevities, and this study provides additional measurements of Minnesota Point’s long-term morphological change which can help inform coastal resiliency efforts.

An Experimental Study of Wave Impact Loads on an FPSO Bow in 2D Wave-Tank

In harsh environments, an floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) is occasionally damaged by impact loads, such as bow flare slamming and green water. This study conducted an impact load measurement experiment on a model of an FPSO bow in a 2D wave tank. Three types of frequency-focused waves (steep, spilling, and plunging) were generated, and the speed and slope of the waves were measured. Seven wave probes were placed in a row, and the wave elevation was measured to determine the speed and slope of the waves. In addition, the side of the 2D wave tank was photographed with a high-speed camera. The speed and slope of the waves obtained from the wave probe array agreed well with those obtained from the photographs taken using a high-speed camera. In the case of a steep wave, wave runup occurred at the bow before the wave reached the bow of the FPSO, so no impact load was generated, and only hydrostatic pressure was measured. Impact loads were generated in the spilling and plunging waves, and the magnitude of impact loads using the Von Karman’s estimation formula and the impact loads measured in model tests showed similar values.

Developing a decision tree model to forecast runup and assess uncertainty in empirical formulations

The coastal zone is a dynamic region that can change rapidly and significantly with respect to the morphology of the beach and incoming wave conditions. Runup forecasts may be improved by adapting a dynamic approach that allows for different runup models to be implemented in response to changes in beach state. Accurately forecasting wave runup is critical to characterize exposure to coastal hazards and provide an early warning against potential erosion and inundation. Here, we developed a decision tree model to produce a weighted ensemble of existing runup models to predict 1.25 years of runup at Duck, North Carolina, USA. We then applied the calibrated decision tree model to reproduce observed runup during the DUNEX experiment in Pea Island, North Carolina, USA. We found that the decision tree approach yielded a prediction that was comparable or greater in accuracy (i.e. higher r2, lower RMSE) than the individual runup models. We also interrogated the decision tree predictions to determine how the individual models perform relative to each other and why certain models perform better than others under the same observed wave and beach conditions. We found that the decision tree approach drew on the processes represented in the individual models in the ensemble to produce a forecast that is accurate and explainable without relying on prior knowledge of the study site(s) or requiring manual adjustments beyond the initial model training.

Impact of rogue waves on semi-submersible platforms: An experimental investigation of wave run-up and air-gap responses

The wave run-up and air-gap responses of semi-submersible platforms under extreme sea conditions are crucial design considerations for ensuring the structural integrity and safety of marine engineering operations. This study investigated the impact of rogue waves on the wave run-up and air-gap responses of semi-submersible platforms using a transient focusing wave group to accurately simulate irregular seas. Comparative model tests were conducted on a semi-submersible platform under both rogue and non-rogue-wave conditions. The platform motions and air-gap responses were analysed using spectral analysis, extreme-value statistics, and wavelet methods. Rogue waves were found to significantly affect the air-gap response spectrum, increasing the nonlinearity of both the wave run-up and air-gap responses. Different locations on the platform exhibited varying statistical and spectral response characteristics. Rogue waves modified the instantaneous properties of wave elevation, thereby increasing the energy levels in the system. This study confirmed that rogue waves significantly influence the air-gap responses and wave run-up of semi-submersible platforms, suggesting that they should be considered when designing and planning the operations of these platforms. This study offers a comprehensive understanding of the complex interactions between rogue waves and large maritime structures and provides insights for improving safety and performance under extreme sea conditions.