Alf Tørum
Norwegian Institute of Technology
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Archive | 1990
Alf Tørum; Ove T. Gudmestad
Water wave kinematics is a central field of study in ocean and coastal engineering. The wave forces on structures as well as sand erosion both on coastlines and in the ocean are to a large extent governed by the local distribution of velocities and accelerations of the water particles. Our knowledge of waves has generally been derived from measurements of the water surface elevations. The reason for this is that the surface elevations have been of primary interest and fairly cheap and reliable instruments have been developed for such measurements. The water wave kinematics has then been derived from the surface elevation information by various theories. However. the different theories for the calculation of water particle velocities and acceleration have turned out to give significant differences in the calculated responses of structures. In recent years new measurement techniques have made it possible to make accurate velocity measurements. Hence. the editors deemed it to be useful to bring together a group of experts working actively as researchers in the field of water wave kinematics. These experts included theoreticians as well as experimentalists on wave kinematics. It was also deemed useful to include experts on the response of structures to have their views from a structural engineering point of view on what information is really needed on water wave kinematics.
24th International Conference on Coastal Engineering | 1995
Alfonse Dubi; Alf Tørum
A special reflecting wall 12 m long and 2.1 m high was built off the beach at Reggio Calabria, and 30 wave gauges were assembled before the wall and were connected to an electronic station on land. It was possible to observe the reflection of wind waves generated by a very stable wind over a fetch of 10 Km. The experiment aimed to verify the general closed solution for the wave group mechanics (Boccotti, 1988, 1989), for the special case of the wave reflection.Significant features on Wadden Sea wave climate are evaluated in respect of the state of the art. Main emphasis was laid on an analysis of the governing boundary conditions of local wave climate in island sheltered Wadden Sea areas with extensions being sufficient for local wind wave growth. Explanatory for significant wave heights a reliable parametrization of local wave climate has been evaluated by using generally available data of water level and wind measurements.
21st International Conference on Coastal Engineering | 1989
Alf Tørum; Steiner Naess; Arne Instanes; Svein Vold
The Labrador Sea Extreme Waves Experiment (LEWEX), is an international basic research programme concerned with full-scale measurements, analysis, modelling and simulation in test basins of 3-dimensional seas. The research is carried out in order to assess the significance of 3-dimensional sea states in engineering applications. The first phase of the programme full scale wave measurements in the North Atlantic Ocean was performed at a site and time that had a high probability of encountering severe sea states. The present publication shows examples of measured bi-modal directional sea spectra obtained with the WAVESCAN buoy and directional sea spectra measured with an airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). Directional spectra of gravity waves are obtained with the SAR both in open waters and below an ice cover. Further work is needed in order to verify SAR-measurements with in-situ observations. In-situ measured directional spectra are also compared with hindcast spectra from the 3G-WAM model. Hindcast significant wave heights were found to be lower than the in-situ measurements.The littoral drift model developed at DHI and ISVA, see Deigaard et al. (1986b) has been extended to include the effects of the irregularity of the waves, of a coastal current and a wind acting on the surf zone. Further, a mathematical model to simulate the near-shore current pattern along a barred coast with rip channels has been developed. The influence on the littoral drift of the irregularity of waves, wind, coastal current, and rip channels is discussed. It is concluded that irregularity of waves and presence of rip channels must be considered while coastal current and wind action are of minor importance.At present, the Prodhoe Bay oil field in Alaska contributes a substantial amount of the domestic oil production of the United States. Oil is also expected to be present on the continental shelf of Alaska, and it is estimated that approximatedly 28 percent of the total U. S. reserve is located beneath the shallow ice covered seas of the Alaskan continental shelf. To expolre and to exploit these oil rich resources, engineers are confronted with hostile oceanographic conditions such as high tides, waves, strong currents and sea ice. The same area is also rich in fishery resources. Being one of the most productive fishing grounds in the nothern Pacific, the potential ecological impact due to an oil spill is of a major concern. This paper describes the methologies used for the development of a modeling system for the oil risk analysis. The system is designed with generality in mind so it can be used for other coastal areas. The development of three dimensional models used in the modeling system described here have been published in the earlier International Coastal Engineering Conferences (Liu and Leendertse, 1982, 1984, 1986) and a report published recently by RAND (Liu and Leendertse, 1987). In the oil-spill risk analysis, these three dimensional hydrodynamic models are coupled to a two-dimensional stochastic weather model and an oil weathering model.The two projects (LUBIATOWO 79 and LUBIATOWO 86) were aimed at study pore pressure behaviour in natural sand bed in the coastal zone of the Baltic sea under the action of storm waves. During both projects, the wave induced pore pressures at the various levels in the sea bed were measured. The collected data were used to verify the applicability of the various theoretical approaches. In the conclusion, the range of the application of the particular analytical method is given.The rapid recession of the shingle bank of Hurst Beach (up to 3.5m/yr) makes it an excellent natural laboratory for the study of the factors which influence the stability of shingle beaches. Studies have included: the significance of long period, high energy, swell waves the classification and quantification of overwash processes run-up and seepage characteristics the effect of settlement of the underlying strata and the implications for practices in shingle nourishment. The studies have revealed the distinctive character of shingle beaches as compared with the more fully researched sand beaches. More detailed research on shingle beaches is justified particularly in relation to (i) the run-up characteristics including its interaction with swash cusps and (ii) the influence of the subsidiary sand fraction on the beach characteristics.Environmental assessment, engineering studies and designs were completed for a new 26.5 m3/s seawater intake system in the Persian Gulf. The original intake facility consisted of a curved, 60m breakwater with one end attached to the shoreline, a settling basin immediately adjacent to the shoreline and dredged to a maximum depth of approximately 5m, and a pumphouse structure located on shore such that the seaward wall formed one side of the settling basin. The facility located on an island in the Gulf, which served multiple seawater uses, had experienced both structural and operational problems, the latter consisting principally of excessive ingestion of sediment and seaweed. These factors plus the requirement for additional demands for seawater beyond plant capacity caused the owner to initiate a study of alternative intake systems, produce a design for the most effective solution and construct the new intake system.A two-dimensional wave prediction model suitable for use on personal computers is described. The model requires the twodimensional time-dependent wind field as input. Output consists of wave height, wave period, and wave direction estimates at all grid points on a computational grid representing an enclosed or semi-closed basin. Model predictions compare favorably with observations from a wave research tower in Lake Erie. A formula is provided to estimate how long a model simulation would take on a personal computer given the surface area of the computational domain, the grid size, and the computer clock speed.Cullera Bay is a neritic ecosystem placed on the Spanish Mediterranean Littoral largely influenced by the Jucar River, that brings about lower salinities than surrounding waters, and broad variations of its values. An extensive research, with 9 samplings throughout the year, was carried out, measuring both physical and chemical parameters, and the planktonic communities. The trophic status of the ecosystem, the spatial and temporal variations of the nutrients and the planktonic communities were studied, evaluating the influence of the river loads and the littoral dynamics. Some essential basis to allow a suitable emplacement of waste waters disposals along the Valencian littoral are set up in order to minimize the gradual eutrophication of this coast.In the last two years a whole of studies was realized in order to determine precise solutions to the regeneration of Villajoyosas beach, in the Spanish mediterranean coast. Investigations were carried out to the surrounding coastal areas based in field investigations and laboratory analyses of the beaches materials.
Coastal Engineering | 1991
Vidar Lie; Alf Tørum
Abstract An experimental study has been carried out on the change of the waves over and around a rather peaked elliptical shoal. The variation of the significant wave height, crest height distributions and wave height distributions have been given for different peak periods, different deep water wave heights and different depths of the shallowest point on the shaol. Wave breaking is discussed.
NATO ASI series. Series E, Applied sciences | 1990
Alf Tørum; James E. Skjelbreia
There are several theories and methods to calculate the kinematics of water waves. Most of the theories and methods have been developed for regular waves, like the linear theory, Stokes higher order theories, stream function theory, etc. The stream function theory can also be applied for an irregular surface profile, using the assumption that the profile travel without change of form.
Proceedings of the 31st International Conference | 2009
Sigurdur Sigurdarson; Jentsje van der Meer; Alf Tørum; Roberto Tomasicchio
number 1450 Breakwaters Berm Breakwaters Coastal structures Stable berm breakwater Reshaping Stability
Coastal Engineering | 1996
Alexander Kyte; Alf Tørum
An experimental study has been carried out on the forces from plunging breaking regular and irregular waves on a vertical cylinder on a shoal. Total as well as local wave forces have been measured. Engineering formulae for the calculation of the horizontal forces and overturning moments have been derived. The duration of the impact forces have been measured and compares fairly well with theoretical values.
Coastal structures | 2004
Sigurdur Sigurdarson; Arnold Jacobsen; Omar Bjarki Smarason; Sverre Bjørdal; Gisli Viggosson; Christen Urrang; Alf Tørum
Sirervag harbor is located in a narrow bay on the west coast of Norway approximately 50km south of the city of Stavanger. The area outside the harbor is an open coast with no reefs or shoals that give shelter from waves. The wave height reducing effects are refraction and in shallow water also wave breaking. A new breakwater was constructed in Sirevag, which started in January 200 and ended in July 2001. The primary reason for the new breakwater was to give better protection of the harbor and to improve the sailing conditions in and out of the harbor. The breakwater was designed and constructed as a statically stable Icelandic type berm breakwater for a wave height with a 100-year return period. The design 100-year recurrence wave height at the location of the breakwater was established as H(s,100) = 7.0m. During the first winter in service the breakwater experienced a storm reaching the design level. The breakwater survived the storm without any reshaping. However, stability model tests showed that there should have been a marked recession of the berm. The apparent discrepancy between the model test results and the field behavior of the Srevag berm breakwater are discussed in this paper.
Coastal Engineering | 1992
Hans Kristian Endresen; Alf Tørum
An experimental study has been carried out on forces from breaking waves on a pipeline through the surf zone. Large forces of intermittent nature have been measured. It is believed that the high forces are caused by high intensity turbulence generated in the breaking process of plunging waves.
22nd International Conference on Coastal Engineering | 1991
Alf Tørum; Ove T. Gudmestad
Tanah Lot Temple is situated in Tabanan Regency - Bali, on the coast of the Indonesian Ocean. Due to continuous wave attack, wind force, and weathering of the rock bank where the Temple stands, abrasion has occured which is more and more threatening the existence of the Temple. Considering that Tanah Lot Temple is a sacred place for the Hindu Balinese people and a place of high cultural value, and also an important tourism, steps to save the Temple are imperative. The Central as well as the Regional Authorities, and also the Bali nese community are very much interested in the effort to keep the Temple intact. Measures have been undertaken to protect both the seaside and land-side banks of the Temple rock bank. This paper only discusses counter measures of the sea —side bank of the Temple.