Iterative methods for efficient generation of wave fields in hydrodynamic laboratories

Motivated to be applied in the Indonesian Hydrodynamic Laboratory (LHI), we design an iteration scheme for the motion of a wavemaker on one side of a large wave tank in such a way that a desired energy spectrum for the wave field results. Due to imperfections of the mechanical operation of the wavemaker, the mapping from the wavemaker control to the generated wave field in the tank is not known. Taking some realistic qualitative assumptions for this mapping, we design and study possible steering strategies. From a class of iteration schemes, one preferred iteration scheme can be selected based on the global conditions for convergence; the iteration will enable to generate any realisable wave field. The use of the proposed iteration led to a satisfying result for an actual experiment, details of which will be described.