Wave Hydrodynamics over a Barred Beach

This paper reports the experimental Project "'SPANWAVE-SPPORITA" carried out at the "Canal de Investigaci6n y Experimentaci6n Maritima" of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (Barcelona, Spain). The Project goals were to obtain detailed and accurate measurements of turbulent and mean velocities over the bar and trough regions, for regular and random waves breaking over the bar. Four wave conditions were simulated, and both surface elevation and velocity measurements were carried out at a large number of locations. The experiments are considered successful and provide a unique data set on surfzone hydrodynamics over a barred beach. Preliminary data results reveal quite interesting aspects, deserving further investigation.