Methods for separating the spectral components and describing bimodal wave spectra are evaluated with reference to wave spectra from directional wave measurements made at the Maui location off the west coast of New Zealand. Two methods involve partitioning bimodal wave spectra into wind-sea and swell components and then fitting a spectral function to each component, while the third assigns an average spectral shape based on the integrated spectral parameters. The partitioning methods involve separating the wave spectrum into two frequency bands: a low-frequency peak, the swell component, and a high-frequency peak, the wind-sea. One partitioning method uses only the frequency spectrum while the other analyzes the complete frequency-direction spectrum. Comparison of the spectral descriptions and derived parameters against the measured counterparts provides insight into the accuracy of the different approaches to describing actual bimodal sea states.
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e-mail: Kevin.ewans@shell.com
e-mail: guedess@mar.ist.utl.pt
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November 2006
Technical Papers
Estimation of Wind-Sea and Swell Components in a Bimodal Sea State
K. C. Ewans,
e-mail: Kevin.ewans@shell.com
K. C. Ewans
Shell International Exploration and Production
, Rijswijk, The Netherlands
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C. Guedes Soares
C. Guedes Soares
Unit of Marine Technology and Engineering,
e-mail: guedess@mar.ist.utl.pt
Technical University of Lisbon
, Instituto Superior Técnico, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
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K. C. Ewans
Shell International Exploration and Production
, Rijswijk, The Netherlandse-mail: Kevin.ewans@shell.com
E. M. Bitner-Gregersen
C. Guedes Soares
Unit of Marine Technology and Engineering,
Technical University of Lisbon
, Instituto Superior Técnico, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugale-mail: guedess@mar.ist.utl.pt
J. Offshore Mech. Arct. Eng. Nov 2006, 128(4): 265-270 (6 pages)
Published Online: December 18, 2004
Article history
Received:
September 24, 2004
Revised:
December 18, 2004
Citation
Ewans, K. C., Bitner-Gregersen, E. M., and Soares, C. G. (December 18, 2004). "Estimation of Wind-Sea and Swell Components in a Bimodal Sea State." ASME. J. Offshore Mech. Arct. Eng. November 2006; 128(4): 265–270. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2166655
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