CETN-l-17

Revised

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DIRECT METHODS FOR CALCULATING WAVELENGTH

PURPOSE: To provide two methods for directly and accurately approximating the

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wavelength of known period waves in any water depth. Present methods involv-
ing the solution of the wave dispersion equation require the use of iterative
procedures. Direct approximation using the recommended methods reduces com-

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puter time for programs requiring a large number of wavelength calculations,
such as those required in wave refraction programs.

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GENERAL: The deepwater wve length Lo of a wave is defined by the equation

Lo =g
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where T is the wave period and g is gravitational acceleration. Exact
computation of the wavelength L in any other water depth d requires the
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solution of the dispersion equation

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L= Lo tanh (T)

which usually requires iterative computations. Values of d/L versus d/Lo

are tabulated in Table C-l of the Shore Protection Msnual (SPM) (1984). These
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tabulated values can be used for single calculations of a par titular wave-
length. However, the tabulated values are not suitable when computer programs
are used for wave refraction, and the wavelength must be determined repeti-
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tively by the refraction program.

HUNT'S METHOD: The equation for wavelength can be restated as

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To solve for the wavelength, Hunt (1979), and recently, Chen and Thompson
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(1985) used a Pade' approximation which gives

U. S. Army Engineer Waternays Experiment Station, Coastal Engineering Research Center

P. 0. Box 631, Vicksburg, Mississippi 39160
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where the term F is an approximation for the wave celerity and

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F =G+
1.0 + 0.65226 + 0.4622G2 + 0.0864G4 + 0.0675G5

and

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The wavelength is then given as

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This gives the wavelength to an accuracy of 0.1 percent. Higher accuracy can
be obtained by using a higher order expansion (Hunt 1979).
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NIELSEN'SMETHOD : Nielsen (1982) gives an explicit formula for L -_
as
follows:
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L=0Xz-(1-g)
0
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This formula gives an accuracy to within 1 percent for 0 L dL _< 0.35 and
becomes increasingly inaccurate at larger depth, i.e., $- >'0.35 (Figure 1).
It should be noted that Nielsen's method should not be usgd for deepwater wave
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computation, and Equation 4-b of the SPM (1984) provides a close approximation
for waves in deeper mters (Figure 1).
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GIVEN: A deepwater wave has a period of 16 sec.

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FIND: The wvelength in a wter depth of 100 ft.

SOLUTION: (a) Using Hunt's method

(+?)2
$ = (g)2 loo =
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G = 0.479
32.174
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2'
 CETN-1-17
Revised
6185

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1.2
- IMTERMEDIATE RANGE- -DEEPWATER RANGE

- c-SHALLOW WATER

7.0 --------------

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-.
-.
0.8 --
-.
---

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LEGEND

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- HUNT’S APPROXIMATION
(- EXACT SOLUTION)
-- NIELSEN’S APPROXIMATION
.a...-SPM APPROXIMATION
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Figure 1. Comparison of approximate solutions for wavelength computations

1
F =G+
1 + 0.6522G + 0.4622G2 + 0.0864G4 + 0.0675G5
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1
F = .479 +
1 + 0.6522(0.479) + 0.4622(0.479)2 + 0.0864(0.479)4 + 0.0675(0.479)5
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= 1.181
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L = 'Id$ 16 ,/v = 835.1 ft

he exact solution is known to be 834.7 ft. The wavelength obtained using

Hunt's approximation has an error on the order of 0.05 percent.
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(b) Using Nielsen's method

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 Lo===gT2 1310.887 ft

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L =,'26 Lo (1 - 5) =+2r(100)(1310.887) (1 - 1;:; 87) = 838.3 ft
.
0

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The mvelength obtained using Nielsen's approximation has an error on the
order of 0.43 percent.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Contact Dr. Fred Camfield at (601) 634-2012, Coastal
Design Branch, CERC.

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REFERENCES :

Chen, H. S. and Thompson, E. F. 1985. "Iterative and Pade' Solutions for the
Water-Wave Dispersion Relation," Miscellaneous Paper CERC-85-4, US Army

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Engineer Gterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, Miss.

Hunt, John N. 1979. "Direct Solution of Wave Dispersion Equation," Journal

of the bterways, Port, Coastal and Ocean Division, No. WW4, AXE, pp 457-459.

Nielsen, P. 1982. "Explicit Formulae for Practical Wave Calculations,"

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Coastal Engineering, Vol 6, No. 4, pp 389-398.

Shore Protection Manual. 1984. 14th ed., 2 vols, 'USArmy Engineer Waterways
Experiment Station, Coastal Engineering Research Center, US Government
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Printing Office, Washington, DC.

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