Separation of regular waves by a transfer function method

This paper presents a transfer function method (TFM) which can separate a r egular wave field into incident and reflected waves based on the linear wav e theory. The TFM uses specific transfer functions and corresponding convol ution integrals to separate time series data measured in a combined partial standing wave system into incident and reflected waves. After this separat ion, estimation of the reflection coefficient becomes very easy. All manipu lations have been performed in time domain. Furthermore, this method does n ot involve the calculation of wave heights and/or phase differences. The pr esent method is demonstrated through numerical sample and physical model ex periments carried out in a wave flume. Compared with other methods, the TFM gives much better estimates of the incident wave heights for physical mode l experiments in this study. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights rese rved.