Fully Nonlinear Boussinesq-type modelling of infragravity wave transformation over a low-sloping beach

Abstract

Recent field studies over low sloping beaches have shown that infragravity waves could dissipate a significant part of their energy in the inner surf zone. This phenomenon and the associated short- and long-wave transformations are not well-understood. In this paper, we assess the ability of the fully nonlinear Boussinesq-type model introduced in Bonneton et al. (2011) to reproduce short and long wave transformation in a case involving a strong infragravity wave dissipation close to the shoreline. This validation study, based on van Dongeren et al. (2008)’s laboratory experiments, suggests that the model is able to predict infragravity wave breaking as well as the complex interactions between short and long waves in the surf zone.