Wave Basin Experiment to Measure Hydrodynamic and Turbulence, in Hydrodynamic Measurements in a Wave Basin in the Swash and Surf Zone under Oblique Wave Forcing

This research project investigates hydrodynamic processes in the inner surf and swash zones of beaches under the influence of obliquely incident waves. The system under investigation is a smooth and rough impermeable beach slope subjected to systematic variations in wave height, and wave angle using a 3D directional wave basin at Queen’s University Coastal Engineering Laboratory, Canada. The project aims to advance our understanding of cross-shore and alongshore flow interactions, and turbulence distributions.
The experimental design includes controlled laboratory tests on both smooth and roughened beach surfaces using monochromatic waves with incidence angles between 0° and 20°. A dense array of sensors (ultrasonic distance meters (UDM), wave gauges (WG), acoustic doppler profiling velocimeters (ADPVs), and acoustic doppler velocimeters (ADV)) was deployed to capture synchronized water level and velocity data across multiple cross-shore locations. This unique combination allows high-resolution quantification of both time-averaged and phase-resolved flow properties and turbulence metrics.
The project is motivated by the need for reproducible and high-quality data to support improved modeling and prediction for wave-driven sediment processes in the nearshore zone. By systematically controlling and isolating individual wave and bed properties, the data enable new insights that are difficult to obtain in field settings. Researchers studying nearshore morphodynamics, coastal resilience, or developing numerical or sediment transport models will benefit from this dataset.
Multiple datasets will be published under this project, providing comparative data for different bed roughnesses and wave forcing conditions. The dataset supports reproducibility, model validation, and integration into coastal resilience research frameworks.