Laboratory-scale generation of tsunami and long waves

Physical modeling of long waves in laboratories is still a valuable and trustworthy option to study long wave propagation, run-up and near-shore dynamics, and complex nonlinear interactions of approaching wave and macroroughness elements on the shore. Yet, problems develop if full-scale measured time series of real tsunami or numerically derived time series are to be adequately modeled in a timewise meaningful and scaled experiment. Hence, an in-depth review of the state-of-the-art long wave generation methods in laboratory wave flumes and basins is conducted. The study reveals that improved laboratory techniques could significantly contribute to enhance the accuracy and applicability of experimental tests. This would give important information on the interaction between the shoreline and infrastructures on land in order to deduce valuable information on the topic of tsunami inundation processes or wave-induced impacts on houses. In this light, a novel wave generation technique using high-capacity pipe pumps under some control and a loop-feedback control is meticulously developed and discussed. The wave generation facility is successfully tested for single sinusoidal leading depression waves as well as for prolonged solitary and leading depression N-waves of varying duration. The long wave generation technique is further assessed in terms of its capability to generate long waves abstracted from prototype conditions. The influence of controller settings on the resulting waves is discussed.