Nonlinear waves and nearshore currents over variable bathymetry in curve-shaped coastal areas

Irregular coastlines and variable bathymetry produce nonlinear effects on wave propagation which play a significant role on the formation of nearshore currents. To protect the coastline from the erosional action of nearshore currents, it is usual to adopt coastal defence works such as submerged breakwaters. If properly designed, they give rise to circulation patterns capable to induce sedimentation of suspended material at the nearshore region. To numerically simulate the hydrodynamic effects of submerged breakwaters in irregular coastal areas, we use a numerical model which is based on an integral contravariant formulation of the three-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations in a time-dependent coordinate system. These equations are numerically solved by a non-hydrostatic shock-capturing numerical scheme which is able to simulate the wave propagation from deep water to the shoreline, including the surf zone and swash zone