Run-up of long waves generated by bottom-tilting wave maker

Abstract

Using the recently developed bottom-tilting wave maker, run-ups of very long waves are investigated on an adjustable plane beach. Both leading-elevation waves and leading-depression waves are considered, in which the experimental results are compared with the numerical solution of the nonlinear shallow water equations. A surf similarity parameter based on the steepness of the accelerating phase of the wave is suggested. It is shown that both the maximum run-up height and the theoretical breaking criterion can be described in terms of the surf similarity parameter, which is consistent with the results for the solitary waves.