Second-order wave run-up on a vertical cylinder adjacent to a plane wall based on the application of quadratic transfer function in bi-directional waves

Abstract A numerical model was developed in this study to simulate the wave diffraction caused by an arbitrarily shaped structure in the presence of bi-directional incident waves based on a higher-order boundary element method (HOBEM). Based on the developed model, the wave elevation quadratic transfer function (QTF) in bi-directional waves, which is defined as the second-order wave elevation caused by two incident waves of unit amplitude from two directions, can be determined. The developed model was subsequently used to investigate the wave interaction with a cylinder situated near a vertical wall. The image principle was applied to transform the original problem into an equivalent one of wave diffraction caused by two symmetrical cylinders in open seas exposed to bi-directional incident waves. The second-order wave run-up on the cylinder can then be determined using the wave elevation QTF obtained from an analysis of the equivalent problem. A detailed numerical analysis was then conducted. Numerical results revealed that the presence of the vertical wall can apparently disturb the wave diffraction process from the cylinder, and lead to significantly amplified second-order wave elevation within the region between the wall and cylinder. In addition, the respective contribution from the first- and second-order components to the overall wave elevation around the cylinder was discussed.