Wave transformation at a rock platform in Victoria, Australia - A study combining field measurements with numerical modelling

Abstract: Even though a large part of the world's coastline consists of rocky shores, it is still a neglected field of study in coastal research. To increase the knowledge of wave transformation processes on these shores is important in order to understand erosional patterns and to manage coastal risks. In this study, the wave transformation processes on and off a rock platform in Victoria, Australia, have been described and analyzed through a combination of mathematical modelling and field measurements. The results show that the chosen field site possesses rather unique and complex conditions for wave transformation. Waves with extremely large angles in combination with a complicated bathymetry in the nearby surroundings, and a deviation from the standard shape of the wave spectrum, creates a difficult situation for wave modelling. The chosen model has not been able to accurately reproduce the trends seen in the data but has highlighted the importance of the nearshore bathymetry and the offshore wave conditions as controlling factors on the characteristics of the waves reaching and propagating onto rock platforms.