TRITON*

Boussinesq-type wave model for coastal and harbour applications
TRITON is a Boussinesq-type wave model capable of computing the wave dynamics in great detail. It simulates intra-wave properties such as individual wave height transformations (including breaking), wave skewness and wave asymmetry, and drift velocities for arbitrary bathymetries. TRITON is designed for coastal as well as harbour applications.

TRITON incorporates the following processes:
  • Dispersion
  • Diffraction
  • Refraction
  • Shoaling
  • Nonlinear wave-wave interactions (generation of higher and lower harmonics). This is of importance for, among others, seiches generation in harbours and surfbeat
  • Wave breaking
  • Wave run-up
  • Partial and full reflection at structures, e.g., harbour walls and breakwaters
  • Wave enforcement at seaward boundaries (time series, spectra)
  • Wave absorption at seaward boundaries
  • Conservation of mass and momentum in the numerical model is ensured
  • Model formulation independent of vertical reference level

TRITON module for determining refraction-interference patterns of Boussinesq-type waves propagating over a 3D shoal on a sloping beach
animations
By starting the animation button you will be shown a typical 1D application of TRITON. Effects such as dispersion, shoaling and wave breaking (decrease of waveheight after the bar) are clearly visible.



By starting this animation button you will be shown a wave propagation of a short-crested wave on a bar. The white spots indicate wave breaking events.
These animations show the effect of full (100%)

and partial (50%) reflection at a breakwater.
This animation shows a TRITON wave simulation in Calheta harbour.

Harbour of Calheta, Madeira
R&D

Research projects with TRITON
publications

Work on TRITON has been presented at various conferences:

  • Wenneker, I.; Borsboom, M., A novel Cartesian cut-cell approach, 4th International Symposium on Finite Volumes, Marrakech, Morocco, July 4-8, 2005, 2005. Download Abstract (PDF) See http://www.lavoisier.fr/
  • Groeneweg, J.; Doorn, N.; Borsboom, M.J.A.; Dongeren, J.C.P. van, Near-shore modelling with two coupled models: SWAN and TRITON, Proc. 29th Int. Conf. on Coastal Engineering (ICCE), Lisbon, Sept. 2004, 2004. Download Abstract (PDF)
  • Doorn, N.; Groeneweg, J.; Weiler, O.; Borsboom, M., Numerical modelling of ship-induced wave propagation, 28 th ICCE 2002, ASCE, Cardiff, 2002. Download Abstract (PDF)
  • Groeneweg, J.; Doorn, N.; Borsboom, M; Gent, M. van, Boussinesq type modelling of measured wave breaking on a circular shoal, ICCE 2002, ASCE, Cardiff, 2002.
  • Borsboom, M.J.A.; Doorn, N.; Groeneweg, J.; Gent, M.R.A. van, A Boussinesq-type wave model that conserves both mass and momentum,, Proc. 27th Int. Conf. on Coastal Engineering, Sydney, Australia, 2000.
  • Borsboom, M.; Groeneweg, J.; Doorn, N.; Gent, M.R.A. van, Near-shore wave simulations with a Boussinesq-type model including wave breaking., Proc. Coastal Dynamics 2001 Conference, Lund, Sweden., 2001. Download Abstract (PDF)
  • Borsboom, M.; Groeneweg, J.; Doorn, N.; Gent, M.R.A. van, Flexible Boundary Conditions for a Boussinesq-Type Wave Model., Waves 2001 Conference, San Fransisco, 2001. Download Abstract (PDF)

*) Research version, to be used in consult with Deltares staff.
more information

For more information please contact delftwaves.info@deltares.nl.