Author(s): Pradeep C. Fernando; Pengzhi Lin; Junke Guo

Linked Author(s): Pengzhi Lin, Junke Guo

Keywords: Bed roughness; bed shear stress; theoretical model; velocity distribution; wave–current interaction

Abstract: A theoretical model is presented to describe the current velocity within and outside a wave–current boundary layer and to quantify the associated bed shear stresses for wave–current interaction at an arbitrary angle. The model assumes that the wave-induced bed shear stress in the combined flow varies sinusoidally with time while the current-induced bed shear stress follows an eddy viscosity concept. The computational procedure is given for both depth-averaged and reference-point current-based computations. Unlike other analytical models proposing different coefficients for different problems, the present model uses the same set of equations and coefficients to describe wave–current flows at any angle under any flow regime. This model agrees better with both field measurements and laboratory data than existing theoretical models. The model indicates that the wave–current interaction angle is not significant for wave–current flow properties.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00221686.2011.574388

Year: 2011