On The Prediction of Wave Parameters Using Simplified Methods

Wind induced waves are the most important phenomenon to be considered in the coastal and offshore activities. Therefore, in this study the performance of three simplified methods for predicting the wave height in lakes are investigated. The data set used in this study comprises of wave data and over water wind data gained from Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. CEM, Wilson and SMB methods were used to predict the hourly significant wave height. The predicted and measured wave heights were then compared and their skills were evaluated using statistical measures. Results indicate that the simplified methods are more accurate in the fetch limited condition than in the duration limited condition. Comparison of the methods also shows that the SMB method is more accurate than the other methods. In addition, it is discussed that in the CEM method, the proposed equation for calculation of equivalent fetch length and minimum wind duration for prevailing fetch limited condition are not compatible. Hence, a modified CEM method is suggested to increase the accuracy in prediction of wave height.