Wave height vs return period? 1

A good source for this information is contained in "Marine Hydrodynamics" by John Newman.

A good source of info for calculating wave heights is the ACES (Automated Coastal Engineering System) from the Waterways Experiment Station at the Corps of Engineers in the USA. Although the document is extensive it is quite user friendly and has a number of ways to estimate wave heights and the interaction with of things such as breakwaters.

I downloaded the technical reference document a few years ago and am not sure if it is still available on the web.

It's been a long time since my coastal engineering class but I'll "wade in" anyway:

Determination of the maximum wave height at a location involves a lot of factors, one of which is the storm or windspeed, which may be considered to have a ceratin return period. In addition to speed is the wind duration and direction, and the fetch length. Then there'e the increase in wave height as it approaches the shore. I would think this does not lend itself well to fitting some probability distribution of wave height versus return period.

Refer DnV RPE-305 and DnV CN 30.5.



Narendranath R
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I think the answer that your looking for is that the distribution of most probable max wave height is one of the extreme value EV (fisher-tippet distributions). The gumbel distribution is one of them and a good place to start since its easy to manipulate mathematically. Basically, you use the data you have to estiamte the EV distribution parameters and then recalculate the value you looking for.

I dont recall seeing the relevant model in Newman and would suggest you take a look at one of ship or offshore engineering texts like Hughes, O. 'Ship Structural Design' or the Book by PateL, M. and Witz, J. (cant recall the name of the latter)