Improving surfability assessment along a submerged detached breakwater at praia da Vagueira, Portugal

Abstract

A case study aiming to improve surfing conditions over a submerged detached breakwater, intended to be placed in front of Praia da Vagueira (Aveiro, Portugal), was concluded in April 2022. The final results are revisited and refined by incorporating an alternative wave breaking line detection method, using the resulting eddy viscosity parameter from the COULWAVE numerical model. The detected wave breaking line is shown to align well with results from a fully 3D RANS-based k – ω SST turbulence simulation. This approach allows for a more detailed analysis of surfability parameters, particularly when 3D simulations are computationally demanding.