Models of wind-induced waves in the coastal zone: The state of the problem and suggested solution

A brief review of local and balance models of actual waves is given with the emphasis on their limitations. A new concept of defining the dissipation function in the wave energy transfer equation is formulated from an analysis of the models. We were able to construct this function to include two mechanisms--breaking of wave crests at decreasing depths and bottom friction--and avoid specifying insufficiently known parameters, such as the proportion of breaking waves, the limiting height of these waves in an approximation of regular waves, the bottom friction factor, etc,, that usually appear in the known models. As a result, a model of the surf zone that agrees with on-site measurements is suggested.