Analytical Formulation of Breaker Equations

Abstract

In this study, equations to calculate breaker height, breaker length, and breaker depth were formulated. The analytical formulations were based on the velocity potential of the solution of the Laplace equation. The substitution of velocity potential to weighted kinematic free surface boundary condition yielded equation for wave amplitude function. The dispersion equation was obtained by substituting the velocity potential and wave amplitude function into the weighted momentum Euler equation. The relation between breaker height and breaker wavenumber is extracted from the wave amplitude function. The breaker wavenumber equation was obtained by substituting this relation into the dispersion equation. Furthermore, the breaker depth equation obtained was put to the wavenumber conservation equation with the variables of breaker height and breaker wavenumber. The breaker wave amplitude equation, the breaker wavenumber equation, and the breaker depth equation are simple equations that are very easy to use.