CETN-I-28

6185

DIRECTIONAL WAVE SPECTRA USING COSINE-SQUARED

AND COSINE 2s SPREADING FUNCTIONS

PURPOSE: This Technical Note presents the basic concept of ocean mve direc-
tional spreading, why it is important in coastal engineering, and how it is
characterized through parametric relationships. 'IheCOSINE-SQUARED and the
COSINE 2s spreading functions are included.

INTRODUCTION: The mve energy at a point has an angular distribution as ~11

as a distribution over a range of frequencies. This angular distribution of
wave energy is termed "directional spreading." Spectral representations which
include both the frequency distribution and the angular spreading of wave
energy are known as "directional spectra."

Knowledge of directional spectra regarding their evolution in shallow

water is important to coastal engineers. More accurate wave predict*ons can
usually be achieved when directional spectra are considered. Indications are
that spectral models without spreading can overpredict significant mve
heights during refraction by as much as 20 percent when compared to
directional spectral models (Collins, et al. 1981). This can have a
significant effect on coastal structure design for nondepth-limited waves.
Forristall, et al. (1978) concluded that a proper description of storm wave
flow velocities is dependent on the correct representation of the directional
spread of mve energy. Neglecting the spreading results in overprediction of
flow velocities. The concept of directional spreading accounts for some
important aspects of wve behavior which are known to occur. An example is
given in Appendix C of ETL, 1110-2-305 (Vincent and Lockhart 1983), where the
analysis is based, in part, on directional spreading. Finally, more realistic
models of coastal processes are being developed which require directional
spectra as input.

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

P. 0. Box 631, Vicksburg, Mississippi 39180
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1. REPORT DATE 3. DATES COVERED

2. REPORT TYPE
JUN 1985 00-00-1985 to 00-00-1985
4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER
Directional Wave Spectra Using Cosine-Squared And Cosine 2S 5b. GRANT NUMBER
Spreading Functions
5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER

6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER

5e. TASK NUMBER

5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER

7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION

REPORT NUMBER
U. S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station,Coastal
Engineering Research Center,P. 0. Box 631,Vicksburg,MS,39180
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Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98)

Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18
 The ability to represent directional spectra in parametric form permits
simulation of real seas in numerical wave models, parametric wave models, and
in CRRC's new directional spectral kave basin.

NATURAL PROCESSES: In the initial stage of wave generation the wave crests
are very short, and the mves can be seen propagating in many directions dif-
ferent from the wind direction. Waves on a small lake illustrate this initial
growth stage. Over longer fetch distances the wves evolve into longer-
crested waves. The wind generated waves develop so as to propagate generally
in the direction of the wind; but there is still an angular spread of energy
about the mean direction, and the representation of the wavefield with direc-
tional spectra is useful. Waves generated by a local storm illustrate this
stage of wave growth. Finally, the waves leave the generation area and become
sw211 wves. Ocean swell tsves which have propagated long distances are long-
crested, and the angular spreading of energy is very slight. However, repre-
sentation of swell in terms of directional spectra is still a useful concept.
Long-period swell arriving on the West Coast is a good example of long-crested
waves.

When aves approach a coastal area, other factors begin to modify the
directional nature of the wavefield. For example, refraction due to varia-
tions in depth can act to concentrate or disperse wave energy. Currents can
also influence the directional spread of wave energy in shallow water as well
as in deep water.

PARAMETRIC SPREADING FUNCTIONS: The basic premise of all parametric spreading

functions is that the single-peaked directional spectrum is adequately
described by the product of two functions:

E(f, 0) = E(f)*D(f, 0)
where
R(f, 0) = directional spectral density function
R(f) = one-dimensional energy spectral density function
D(f, 0) = angular spreading function
f = frequency in hertz
8 = direction in radians

The formulation of D(f, 0) requires that

2
 CETN-I-28
6185

a0 OD
f

I / 0 -IT
E(f) D(f, 8) d edf =
/
0
E(f) df

so that the total energy in the directional spectrum must be the same as the
total energy in the corresponding one-dimensional spectrum. This parameter-
ization can effectively represent the directional nature of a wavefield in the
absence of complicating influences such as a large change in wind direction or
the propagation of swell into the generation area, which results in a bimodal
spectrum. Several idealized spreading functions are outlined below.

1. Cosine-Squared

cos2(e-eo> , for (- 5 + eO> < 8 < (3 + 80)

D( e)
, otherwise

where e. = mean wave direction in radians.

The cosine-squared formulation is extremely simple because it is neither a

function of frequency nor widespeed. It can be used to parameterize the
directional spreading of wind seas. Similar formulations can be derived
(cosine-fourth, for example) by changing the value of the exponent and
adjusting the coefficient so that

-$+ e.

Most CERC spectral wve models, including the models used by the Wave Infor-
mation Study (WIS) (CETN-I-19), use the cosine-fourth spreading function to
represent locally generated mves (seas).

2. Cosine-2S

D(f, e>=(,2(2y y$;;+l;, )cos2s(9 -2eo)

3
where
r = the Gamma function
= the mean wind direction
eO
s = the spreading parameter which is a function of frequency and
windspeed

This spreading function was proposed by Longuet-Higgins, et al. (1963). 'Ihree

of the most commonly used and referenced formulations for the parameter s
are as follows: (a) s = constant; (b) Mitsuyasu, et al. (1975); and (c)
Hasselmann, et al. (1980).

The first parameter, (a), i s comparable to consine-nth, which is a

generalization of the cosine-squared spreading function presented earlier.'
The change in directional spread as a function of s is illustrated in
Figure 1. Increasing the power of the cosine causes a narrowing of the
directional spread. Swell is more typically represented by the narrow spreads

-180' 180"

Figure 1. Idealized angular distribution

2s
D(6) = G(s) cos

4
 CETN-I-28
6/85

in Figure 1. Most numerical and physical modeling of directional spectra make use of this
formulation. A simple approximation to this formulation is discussed in CETN-I-6(1985).

The last two formulations, (b) and (c), are based on field data in deep water. Both include windspeed and
peak spectral frequency in the parameterization, although windspeed is not a critical part of
Hasselmann's, and it could be left out. While these latter two parameterized spreading functions more
accurately depict nature, they generally are not used in numerical models because they are inefficient
numerically; and their increased accuracy is lost in the coarse angular resolution of the models.

APPLICATION: Practical applications of parametric directional spreading functions include numerical

and physical modeling of waves and analysis of directional field data. Field measurement analysis often
involves selecting a value for n or s in the parameterized spreading function which optimizes the fit to
measured directional attributes. When measurements of directional spectra are unavailable or
impractical, reasonable approximations for numerical or physical modeling can be made by combining a
spreading function with either measured one-dimensional spectra or with empirical one-dimensional
spectral formulations, such as the JONSWAP spectrum in deep water or the TMA spectrum in shallow
water (Hughes 1984). The composite directional spectra then provide useful input for shallow-water
spectral transformation numerical or physical models. Present shallow-water numerical models allow
calculation of directional spectra in the nearshore region; and they account for effects such as refraction,
bottom friction, nonlinear interactions, wave breaking, and currents.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: For additional information contact Ms. Jackie

Pettway, Jackie.W.Pettway@usace.army.mil of the Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory.

REFERENCES:

Collins, J. I., et al. 1981. "Refraction of Directional Spectra," Proceedings, Directional Wave Spectra
Applications, ASCE, New York, N.Y., pp 251-266.

5
Forristall, G. Z., et al. 1978. "The Directional Spectra and Kinematics of
Surface Gravity Waves in Tropical Storm Delia," Journal of Physical Ocean-
ography, Vol 8, pp 888-909.

Hasselmann. D. E., et al. 1980. "Directional Snectra Observed During JONSWAP

1973," Journal of-Physical Oceanography, Vol 10,'~~ 1264-1280.

Hughes, S. A. 1984. "TMA Shallow-Water Spectrum: Description and Applica-

tion," Technical Report CERC-84-7, US Army Engineer Waterways Experiment
Station, Vicksburg, Miss.

Longuet-Higgins, M.S., et al. 1963. "Observations of the Directional

Spectrum of Sea Waves Using the Motions of a Floating Buoy," Ocean Wave
Spectra, Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N. J., pp 111-136.

Mitsuyasu, H., et al. 1975. "Observations of the Directional Spectrum of

Ocean Waves Using a Cloverleaf Buoy," Journal of Physical Oceanography, Vol 5,
pp 750-760.

US Army Engineer bterways Experiment Station, Coastal Engineering Research

Center. 1982. "Atlantic Coast Wave Hindcasts (Phase II)," CETN-I-19,
Vicksbug, Miss.

US Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station, Coastal Engineering Research

Center. 1985. "Directional Wave Spectra Using Normal Distribution Model of
Spreading Functions," CETN-I-6, Vicksburg, Miss.

Vincent, C. L. and Lockhart, J. H. 1983. "Determining Sheltered Wa-terWave

Characteristics," ETL 1110-2-305, Office of the Chief of Engineers,
Washington, DC.