Orthogonal wave current interaction over a fixed rippled bed: Preliminary results of an experimental campaign

This paper reports some results obtained in the framework of the TA WINGS, funded by the EU through the Hydralab+ program. The project was aimed at investigating the hydrodynamic effects of an orthogonal wave onto a current in order to understand the nature of the velocity distribution along the water column over fixed ripples. Velocity profiles were acquired within the DHI shallow water tank by means of several Vectrinos in order to investigate the effects of wave-current interaction. A comparison between wave only case and wave plus current case showed that, when the current overlaps to waves, the recirculating cells formed near the bed are flatter than those formed in wave only. Moreover, the vorticity increases outside the boundary layer and decreases inside it when the current superposes to the wave.