Transformation of irregular breaking waves in a laboratory surf zone

This study is concerned with the breaking and transformation of irregular waves on a plane slope in a laboratory surf zone. The incident wave pattern was produced by a wave maker using the JONSWAP wave spectrum. Input parameters were selected to produce a broad range of wave frequencies. The same 15-minute wave pattern was used for all trials of the experiment. From this wave pattern only 10 minutes of wave elevation data were collected by the wave gages. Two of these resistance type wave gages were mounted on an instrument carriage that allowed for measuring the wave elevation at 11 different locations along the flume. All of the measurements were synchronized with the start of wave generation. From the measured wave elevation time series various wave characteristics could be determined, such as the wave height, wave period, wavelength, and phase velocity for each individual wave in the wave time series.;From the entire 10-minute wave record a representative wave group was selected to do a complete wave-by-wave analysis. Information extracted from this wave group included the variations in wave height and wave shape parameters within the surf zone. It was found that the wave period, wavelength, and wave speed had wider variations inside the surf zone than outside of it. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).