The effect of wave crest speed in breaking waves

Abstract

The present work focuses on the evolution of the crest speed around large focal type water wave events. The phenomenon of crest slowdown around the point of maximum elevation is studied numerically using a boundary element model. The model is used to generate large design waves based on realistic ocean spectra. The evolution in terms of coupling between crest speed reduction and increase in particle velocities is studied up until initiation of wave breaking. It is shown that this coupling is a viable mechanism that leads to the formation of large deep water unidirectional breaking waves regardless of spectral shape and bandwidth.