Numerical Modeling - Wave Generation

The evaluation of wind and wave climates, and design conditions, is an essential first step in most coastal engineering projects. However, predicting waves at a site requires an accurate assessment of the offshore waves. A numerical hindcast of the waves is typically undertaken.

Baird regularly employs the numerical models for wave
forecasting and hindcasting. Our experience including wave
hindcasting studies on all of the world's oceans, many seas,
and many inland lakes. In order to support this work, Baird is
constantly updating databases of:

• satellite altimetry,
• ship observation,
• meteorological data, and
• buoy data.

These are used in conjunction with the model to calibrate and validate the results. Baird also maintains cyclonic wind field models and an archive of tropical data, to allow for the simulation of tropical storms.

Typical studies that require accurate offshore wave conditions include:

• harbor and ship motion studies,
• coastal structure design,
• shoreline recession/erosion,
• sediment transport prediction, and many more.

What makes us Different?

Unlike other organizations that sell deepwater wave information from their database, Baird will carry out requested hindcasts specifically for the client. If required by the site characteristics, this allows us to:

• tune the hindcast for the location,
• use nested subgrids for better fetch definition in nearshore regions
• incorporate additional data sources into the model

It also provides features that purchases from existing databases often cannot offer, such as:

• a consistent modeling technique throughout the requested hindcast period, and
• highly detailed output data.

Baird hindcasts are carried out by engineers who regularly use wave data for coastal projects, and understand the aspects of the hindcast that are critical to successful projects.