Verifications of Diffraction Modeling Capability in a Coastal Spectral Wave Model

WABED (W ave A ction B alance E quation with D iffraction) is a 2-D coastal spectral wave process model and used in the development of a practice-oriented random wave prediction for coastal engineering studies at inlets, navigation projects, and wave-structure interactions. Wave diffraction is implemented by adding a term derived from the parabolic wave equation to the wave action balance equation. This paper describes the evaluation of the modeling capability to represent wave diffraction available in the WABED, which is accomplished by testing the present model for diffraction-prone cases such as the wave field of a gap in an infinitely long breakwater and that over an elliptical shoal. Computations are compared with experimental observations and Sommerfeld’s analytical solutions. Comparisons indicate that WABED performs reasonable well in these conditions and is capable of predicting wave diffraction effectively together with refraction and shoaling.Copyright © 2009 by ASME