Laboratory Comparison of Directional Wave Measurement Systems and Analysis Techniques

Abstract

In order to define a directional wave sensor for laboratory experiments, three measuring systems as well as seven directional analysis methods are combined, applied and compared on three different tests performed in a directional wave basin. "Single-point" gauges are found to accurately analyse unimodal spectra when associated to advanced methods (Fit to bimodal model, Iterative Maximum Likelihood Method, Maximum Entropy Method, Bayesian Method). The heave-pitch-roll gauge used in this study is in particular very simple and shows promising capabilities. For bimodal spectra (two directional peaks at same frequency) however, only the wave probe array combined with the Maximum Entropy Method or the Bayesian Method appears to be able to produce reliable estimates.