Runup and rundown of solitary waves on sloping beaches

This paper presents a combined experimental and numerical effort to study s olitary wave runup and rundown on beaches. Both nonbreaking and breaking so litary waves are investigated. A two-dimensional numerical model that solve s both mean flow and turbulence is employed in this study. For the nonbreak ing solitary wave on a steep slope, numerical results of the present model are verified by experimental data and numerical results obtained from the b oundary integral equation method model, in terms of both velocity distribut ion and free surface profiles. The characteristics of flow patterns during runup and rundown phases are discussed. The vertical variations of the hori zontal velocity component are large at some instances, implying that the sh allow water approximation may be inaccurate even for the nonbreaking wave r unup and rundown. For the breaking solitary wave on a mild slope, numerical results of the present model are compared with experimental data for foe s urface displacements. The present model is found to be more accurate than t he depth-averaged equations models. Using this numerical model, the mean ve locity field and turbulence distribution under the breaking wave are discus sed.