Thesis

Advancing high-resolution wave measurement systems for ocean engineering

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Awarding institution
  • University of Strathclyde
Date of award
  • 2025
Thesis identifier
  • T17466
Person Identifier (Local)
  • 202050028
Qualification Level
Qualification Name
Department, School or Faculty
Abstract
  • Water waves are a ubiquitous and profoundly complex natural phenomenon, manifesting indiverse forms across rivers, coastal regions, and the open ocean, as well as in engineeredenvironments such as wave flumes and offshore structures. Their pervasive presence underpins amultitude of scientific, engineering, and everyday phenomena, making them a subject of enduringfascination and practical importance. Even on a smaller scale, the gentle propagation of ripplesacross a pond or the rhythmic oscillations within a home aquarium serve as reminders of theintricate interplay between gravitational forces, fluid motion, and boundary interactions.However, water waves do not exist in isolation. Their behaviour is profoundly influencedby interactions with currents, wind fields, and submerged or floating structures, resulting ina rich diversity of wave forms, frequencies, and amplitudes. This complexity necessitates anuanced understanding of fluid-structure interactions, which is critical for a wide range ofapplications. In maritime operations, for example, the safety and performance of vessels dependon accurate predictions of wave-induced loads and motions. Similarly, in coastal ecology, wavedriven sediment transport and hydrodynamic exchange processes are fundamental to habitatformation and ecosystem resilience. In the realm of offshore renewable energy, the couplingbetween waves and energy-harvesting devices directly impacts power generation efficiency andstructural survivability. To address these challenges, researchers have developed a plethora ofwave measurement and monitoring techniques, spanning from laboratory-scale experiments toopen-ocean deployments. Yet, despite these advancements, many existing methods struggle tocapture fine-grained, multi-dimensional data—essential for contemporary engineering tasks suchas optimising wave energy converters, designing wave-manipulating metamaterials, or validatingnumerical models.It is within this context that this thesis presents the development, demonstration, and application of a high-resolution stereo-vision system for measuring water waves and analysingwave–structure interactions in controlled laboratory environments. A comprehensive literature review is first undertaken, examining both intrusive and non-intrusive wave measurementtechniques—-from conventional resistance probes and acoustic sensors to advanced opticalmethods–while identifying persistent limitations in spatial resolution and the potential for disturbing the wave field. To address these shortcomings, the research introduces a novel camera-basediimethodology that leverages triangulation and Direct Linear Transformation (DLT) to reconstructthree-dimensional free-surface elevations with exceptional precision. Particular emphasis isplaced on mitigating reflective artefacts and ensuring rigorous optical calibration, thereby enhancing the reliability and accuracy of the measurements. Through this work, the thesis aims to contribute a robust and versatile tool for advancing the study of water waves, with implications for both fundamental research and applied ocean engineering. Experimental investigations are conducted across desktop-scale and moderate-sized wave flumes, demonstrating the system’s capability to capture intricate hydrodynamic phenomenawith high fidelity. Tests involving metamaterial structures reveal the system’s ability to detect subtle distortions or enhancements in wave amplitude and phase, providing insights into wave manipulation mechanisms. Observations of a wave energy converter’s motion further validate the stereo-vision system’s reliability, with results corroborated by comparisons to standardinstrumentation, including commercial motion-tracking devices. Comparative analyses with conventional tools, such as calibration targets, underscore the versatility, precision, and robustnessof the proposed methodology. While these experiments are confined to laboratory settings, the findings suggest that furtheradvancements could enable the system’s deployment in more challenging environments, such as offshore testing sites or real-time monitoring of vessel wakes. Additionally, integrating thesystem with digital twins or numerical solvers could facilitate detailed comparisons between measured wave fields and advanced simulation outputs, thereby refining both experimental designs and theoretical models. Future work may focus on enhancing data handling capabilities, particularly through real-time image processing using dedicated hardware, as well as refining camera calibration techniques under variable lighting conditions. By providing a non-intrusive, precise, and adaptable means of capturing water surface dynamics as well as tracking moving objects, this thesis lays a robust foundation for more informed research and innovation across coastal, marine, and offshore engineering disciplines.
Advisor / supervisor
  • Jia, Laibing
Resource Type
DOI

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