Proceedings of the Sixteenth (2006) International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference

San Francisco, California, USA, May 28-June 2, 2006

Copyright 2006 by The International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers
ISBN 1-880653-66-4 (Set); ISSN 1098-6189 (Set)

Spectral Analysis of Wave Transmission behind Submerged Breakwaters

Vincenzo Ferrante

Second University of Naples

Aversa (Caserta), Italy

Diego Vicinanza

Second University of Naples

Aversa (Caserta), Italy

due to their simple underlying concepts, although they are restricted to

linear systems and stationary data (Titchmarsh, 1949). Time series
analysis methods indicate single wave events in water surface records
(zero-down-crossing) and utilize these features to perform subsequently
statistical analysis of these wave events (IAHR, 1986). On the other
hand, the Fourier analysis technique characterizes a sea state
mathematically from a rather global point of view in a general form of
a finite number of time-invariant sinusoidal operators with the
implication that the signal is stationary within the whole data record.
The restrictions of these techniques consequently produce inaccurate
results for nonlinear systems and non stationary data.

ABSTRACT
Submerged breakwaters are becoming popular alternative to coastal
protection where a moderate degree of energy transmission is
acceptable. Such situations induce a complicate wave field because of
non-linear wave-structure interactions. In front and behind the
structures local scour and changes of the bottom topography may take
place due to the wave field. This paper will present some results from
large scale model tests conducted at the Grosser WellenKanal of
Hannover, Germany. The decomposition phenomenon of nonlinear
wave trains passing over a submerged breakwater has been
investigated. Spectral energy distribution and total amount of energy
within the spectra of mono-component wave trains shows a significant
dependency on the position of wave gages in the wake of the barrier
since all Fourier based analysis techniques are incapable to identify
non-stationary processes. The Hilbert-Huang Transformation (HHT) is
chosen to operate as a more appropriate tool to better understand the
nonlinear processes of the transmitted transient waves induced by the
presence of the obstacle. Results of this technique are shown and prove
that the non-stationary sea states behind the structure are essentially
composed of individual dispersive waves which are phase shifted in the
wake of the structure and propagating individually to generate a beat
effect.

To overcome these constraints, the Wavelet analysis in continuous and

discrete form has been developed (Daubechies, 1992). Liu (2000 a,
2000 b) applies the continuous Morlet Wavelet to investigate the
spectral energy content of time-dependent data series in coastal regions.
Another method is the Hilbert-Huang Transformation that has been
established recently (Huang et al., 1998; Huang et al., 1999) and is used
predominantly in the present study.

Real sea waves are non-linear and non-stationary and their profile is
asymmetrical with regarding the zero level. The existence of small
ripples riding longer waves, as well as the creation of many small
waves resulting from wave breaking, complicates considerably the sea
surface profile. The wave data records are a mixture of various wave
systems with different periods and energy, generated by different
sources.

The objective of the analysis of sea surface elevation records is to

determine characteristic time/frequency scales of the distribution of
energy. The Hilbert Huang Transform method fulfils this requirement
since the bases for expansion of the data are the local characteristics of
the data. This new approach for non-linear and non-stationary data
analysis relies on data sifting according to the time scale. A time
interval between successive extreme in the time series is defined as a
time scale. This is the essence of the Empirical Mode Decomposition
(EMD). The EMD method was motivated from the simple assumption
that any data record consists of different intrinsic mode oscillations
(Huang et al., 1998). The main idea of EMD is first to identify the time
scale that will reveal the physical characteristics of the studied process
recorded as a time series, and to extract them into Intrinsic Mode
Functions (IMF). The EMD is a data sifting process to eliminate locally
riding waves as well as to eliminate locally the asymmetry of the time
series profile.

In general, water surface records in Coastal and Ocean Engineering are

predominantly examined with time series analysis methods and Fourier
analysis techniques. Both approaches are recognized as valuable tools

The phenomenon of decomposition of wave train that step over a

barrier has been already experimentally and numerically analyzed from
various authors (Ohyama and Nadaoka, 1994, Ohyama et al., 1994).

KEY WORDS: submerged breakwaters, 2D model tests, Fourier

spectra, Hilbert-Huang transform

INTRODUCTION

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Table 1: Gauges positions

The Authors show that the phenomenon is primed from higher

harmonic generation and nonlinear resonant interaction over the shelf.

Gauge
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

A great part of energy contained in bounded superharmonic

components in shallow water regions over the reef are abruptly
transferred into freely propagating superharmonic components in the
wake of the structure in deeper regions. This phenomenon is of great
importance for prediction of coastal wave fields and beach profile
formation behind the reef.
The choice of an appropriate analysing method in time or in frequency
domain is important for a fully understanding of the variations of the
wave spectra during passage over and behind the submerged structure.

EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP

X [m]
79.05
81.15
84.85
90.29
115
126.22
151.2
162.4
176.3
177.45
180
185.3

Gauge
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24

The model tests were carried out at the Grosser Wellen Kanal of
Hannover, Germany (Calabrese et al., 2003).
The wave flume has a length of 300 m, a width of 5 m and a depth of 7
m (Fig. 1). The facility is equipped with a piston type paddle for
generating regular and random waves. The installed power of the piston
type wave generator combined with an upper flap is about 900 kW. The
gearwheel driven carrier gives a maximum stroke of 2.10 m to the
wave paddle.
The wave generation is controlled by an online absorption system. This
special system works with all kinds of regular and irregular wave trains.
Thus, the tests are unaffected by re-reflections at the wave generator
and can be carried out over nearly unlimited duration.
The bathymetry in the flume was formed by moulding sand over fill in
the channel to the required shape. From deep water near the paddle, the
seabed was flat for 105.3 m than it sloped initially at 1:20 for 20 m to
change for a more gentle slope of 1:50, and terminated in a 15 m
horizontal section. The bed level at the test structure was + 3 m relative
to the flume floor at the wave paddle.
To minimize effects of any reflection from the end of the flume, an
absorbing sand beach with 1:18 slope was built. A 1.3 m high rubble
mound breakwater was installed on a flat area at the end of 1:50 sand
beach.
Three different cross sections were tested (Fig. 2):
a) 1 m crown width, with an impermeable sheet in the middle of the
structure;
b) 1 m crown width, without impermeable sheet in the middle of the
structure;
c) 4 m crown width, without impermeable sheet in the middle of the
structure.
Front and rear slopes were kept constant, equal to 1:2. Five s.w.l. have
been changed in order to obtain different configurations ranging from
low crested to submerged. To measure the wave characteristics, a set of
24 probes was sampled at 50 Hz. In Table 1 are reported all the gauges
position.

Figure 1: Scheme of the deep 2-D wave basin

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X [m]
197
198.09
200.42
205.3
217.5
218.5
220.72
225.3
235.5
236.5
238.52
243.1

THE HILBERT-HUANG TRANSFORM

RESULTS

The Hilbert Huang Transform method is useful to explore local

characteristics of the data. This for non-linear and non-stationary data
analysis is based on data sifting according to the time scale. The time
scale is defined as the time interval between two successive maxima.
This is the essence of the Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD). The
EMD method was motivated from the simple assumption that any data
record consists of different intrinsic mode oscillations (Huang et al.,
1999).

The HHT has been applied for test n. 20, representing a regular wave
having the following wave characteristics:
H = 0.8 m, T = 3.0 s, swl = 1.5 m (at the structure)
The breakwater dimensions for this test are shown in Figure 2.

The main idea of EMD is first to identify the time scale that will reveal
the physical characteristics of the studied process recorded as a time
series, and to extract them into Intrinsic Mode Functions (IMF). The
EMD is a data sifting process to eliminate locally riding waves as well
as to eliminate locally the asymmetry of the time series profile.
A procedure for data sifting and several applications of HHT method
are presented in (Huang et al., 1998). On the basis of the results of
EMD of the field wave data, Veltcheva (Veltcheva, 2001) investigated
wave and group transformation in the coastal zone. The time series X(t)
is first decomposed by EMD into a finite number of IMF which extract
the energy associated with various intrinsic time scales and residual.
The superposition of the IMF, C, and the residue, r, reconstruct the data
record:

X (t ) =

C j (t ) + r (t )

(1)

Significant wave height Hm0, spectral peak period Tp, spectral

bandwidth parameter:

By definition, an IMF has to satisfy two conditions. First, the number

of extremes must be equal or differ at most by one from the number of
zero-crossings. Second, at any point the mean value of the envelope,
defined by the local maxima and the envelope defined by the local
minima is zero. The algorithm of EMD is presented in detail by Huang
et al. (1999).
The sifting process of the EMD is repeated until some conditions,
termed as a stopping criterion, was satisfied. The set of IMF obtained in
this way is unique and specific for the particular time series, since it is
based on and derived from the local characteristics of these data. IMF
could be considered as a more general case of the simple harmonic
functions, but it can be claimed that, due to their specific derivation,
IMF have also a physical meaning in addition to mathematical one.
In the second step of data analysis, the Hilbert transform is applied to
these IMF:

C j =

PV

C j (t ' )

t t'

dt '

2:1

Figure 2: Breakwater dimension for test 20.

j =1

Rc=0.2m

hc=1.3m

h=1.5m

B=1.0m

= (m2 m0 m12 ) / m12

(4)

and the spectral moments of data series at gauges behind the

breakwater are listed in Table 1.
The moments of a spectrum can be obtained by:

mi =

f i E ( f ) df

i = 0, 1, 2, ...

(5)

Table 1: Wave spectral parameter

gauge
17
18
19
20

(2)

where PV is the principal Cauchy value. The amplitude aj, the phase j,
and the instantaneous frequency j are calculated as follow:

m0
0.0044
0.0046
0.0051
0.0056

m1
0.0147
0.0153
0.0168
0.0167

m2
0.081
0.076
0.075
0.068

0.805799
0.702455
0.653841
0.604494

Hm0
0.264
0.271
0.284
0.299

Tp
3.03
3.03
3.03
3.03

a j (t ) = C 2j (t ) + C 2j (t )

In the Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 are represented respectively the Fourier

spectra at gauges 2, 17, 18, 19, 20 in deep water condition and behind
the barrier.

C (t )
j (t ) = arctan
C (t )

Evidently, the water surface elevation in front of the barrier is

composed of a single monochromatic wave of period T = 3.0 s and total
wave height H = 0.78 m.

j (t ) =

(3)

However, this regular wave gets seriously disturbed when passing the
submerged barrier.

d j (t )
dt

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To a certain extent these time series at positions 17, 18, 19 and 20 are
neither regular nor identical to each other, although a kind of irregular
harmonic motion is examined at each wave gage. The spectral energy
distributions and corresponding phases partially prove this observation.
Whereas the incident regular wave in front of the barrier is composed
of one fundamental frequency f = 1/T = 0.3 Hz without any
superharmonic components, the spectral energy distributions from the
wave gages behind the barrier expose the existence of superharmonic
components.
Similarly to the water surface elevations, these spectra are not identical
and the energy content of the fundamental and superharmonic
components are dissimilar for each position. This effect is proven by
calculating both the variance .
This is a rather unanticipated phenomenon for a physical process, but
occurs as a result of the fact that Fourier based techniques characterize
a time series mathematically from a global point of view in a general
form of a finite number of time-invariant sinusoidal operators
(Schlurmann, 2000; Schlurmann, 2002).
This particular effect becomes obvious by regarding the fact that the
irregular wave behind the structure is a superposition of two individual
regular waves one incident component with period T induced by the
motion of the wavemaker and another two components with periods
T/2 and T/3 which develops just due to the presence of the barrier.

Figure 4: Fourier spectra at gauge n.17

In fact these components propagate with different phase celerities in the

wake of the reef and coincide either in a destructive or constructive way
to generate an irregular harmonic motion, a so-called beat effect
(Massel, 1983).
Based on the phase mismatch between the free and bound wave
components, the beat wave length (recurrence length) can be well
expressed in term of the wave numbers of the free and bound
superharmonic components, respectively (Ohyama and Nadaoka,
1994).

Figure 5: Fourier spectra at gauge n.18

The Fourier analysis based spectral energy and phases distributions are
incapable in defining these components at each wave gage so that the
spectra are different from each other.
In Figure 8 the HHT decompose the data series into one fundamental,
one superharmonic and one subharmonic oscillation each representing a
dissimilar intrinsic time scale.

Figure 3: Fourier spectra at gauge n. 2

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Figure 6: Fourier spectra at gauge n.19

Figure 7: Fourier spectra at gauge n. 20

None of those are of one single frequency, but each IMF is defined
within a coherent frequency band. It is assumed that IMF2 (Fig. 10)
represent the original JONSWAP spectrum.
It is further understood that IMF1(Fig. 9) characterizes the in addition
freely propagating superharmonic wave components. IMF3 (Fig. 11)
stands for the nonlinear subharmonic components induced by higher
order nonlinear wave-wave interaction processes.

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Figure 8: Empirical model decomposition at guage n.19

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CONCLUSIONS
Time series of regular and irregular water surface elevations from
various experimental configurations in a laboratory wave flume
concerning the hydrodynamic performance of submerged breakwater.
At first the analyses have been conducted of with time series analysis
methods and Fourier analysis techniques. The decomposition
phenomenon of nonlinear wave trains (e.g. Massel, 1983) has been
observed. It is shown that large amounts of energy accumulated in
bounded superharmonic components in shallow water regions over the
reef, are abruptly transferred into freely propagating superharmonic
components in the wake of the structure in deeper regions.
In a next step the Hilbert-Huang Transformation (HHT) is applied to
demonstrate the nonlinear decomposition process of the transmitted
transient wave trains.
Results are shown and prove that the nonstationary and nonlinear wave
trains are essentially composed of individual dispersive wave
components which are phase shifted, and propagate individually to
generate a beat effect. It is remarkable that the components frequencies
change over time harmonically, but are at the same time strongly
correlated with the water surface elevation. This apparent affinity
between frequencies and water surface elevations has not been reported
in literature up to now.

Figure 9: Fourier spectra for IMF1

Further experiments with irregular waves (JONSWAP) are also carried

out and analysed with the HHT. Data sets are disintegrated into
fundamental oscillations generated through the initial spectrum and, in
addition, freely propagating superharmonic and subharmonic
components.

REFERENCES
Calabrese, M., Vicinanza, D., Buccino, M. (2003), "2D wave set up
behind low crested and submerged breakwaters", Proceedings of the
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Huang, N. E., Shen, Z., Long, S., Wu, M. C., Shih, H. H., Zheng, Q.,
Yen, N.-C., Tung,C. C. and H. H. Liu (1998), "The Empirical Mode
Decomposition and Hilbert spectrum for nonlinear and non-stationary
time series analysis", Roy. Soc. Lon. A, 454, pp. 903-995.
Huang, N. E., Shen, Z. and S. Long (1999), "A new view of non-linear
water waves: The Hilbert Spectrum", Ann. Review of Fluid Mechanic,
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Ohyama, T., Beji, S., Nadaoka, K. and J. A. Battjes (1994),
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Evolutions", Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal and Ocean
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Schlurmann, T. (2000), "The Empirical Mode Decomposition and the
Hilbert Spectra to analyze embedded characteristic oscillations of
extreme waves", Rogue Waves, Eds.

Figure 10: Fourier spectra for IMF2

Figure 11: Fourier spectra for IMF3

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Schlurmann, T. (2002), "Spectral Frequency Analysis of Nonlinear Water

Waves derived from the Hilbert-Huang Transformation", Journal of
Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering, American Society of
Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Vol. 124 (1), pp. 22-27.
Titchmarsh, E. C., (1949), "Introduction to the theory of Fourier
integrals", Oxf. Univ. Press.

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