Waves and wave modelling using SWAN
This course provides a summary of the theory related to wave transformation. Delivering a hands-on introduction to setting up and running SWAN, including pre- and post-processing, it is aimed at both students and professionals, and no previous experience of running computational wave models is required.
The design of coastal structures is typically reliant on prediction of wave conditions in shallow water. Examples of such structures include coastal sea defences, breakwaters, harbours and marine terminals and offshore renewable structures.
As waves transform from offshore they are modified by several processes dependent on the period of the waves and the water depth. In many situations, natural and dredged seabed levels lead to complex wave transformations that can only be represented accurately using computational wave models.
A wide range of computational wave models are available; their use depends on the dominant physical processes, the extent of the area of interest and computational demands. The SWAN spectral wave model, developed by TU Delft, is a reliable model for wave generation and transformation in relatively shallow water and is widely used within the industry for deriving operational and design wave conditions in coastal waters.
This two day course provides a summary of the theory related to wave transformation, and then a hands-on introduction to setting up and running SWAN, including pre- and post-processing. Example applications of SWAN are also presented.
- Introduction of concepts (overview of wave transformation modelling).
- Background wave theory relevant to spectral wave transformation modelling.
- Grid generation.
- Model settings and SWAN steering file keywords.
- How to run SWAN.
- Model calibration and validation.
- Analysis and visualisation of results.
Students and professionals, e.g. coastal engineers from consultants and local government. No previous experience of running computational wave models is required.
At the end of the course participants will:
- be able to set up and run SWAN and analyse and plot model results;
- have a working version of SWAN installed on their laptop
Good knowledge of the subject by the trainer.
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