Annual data summary for 1992, CERC Field Research Facility

118 Pages·1995·4.1 MB·English

by  Leffler, Michael W

Technical Report CERJCu-ly9 51-91905
US Army Corps
of Engineers
Waterways Experiment
Station
Annual Data Summary for 1992
CERC Field Research Facility
Volume I: Main Text and Appendices A and B
by Michael W. Leffler, Clifford F. Baron, Brian L. Scarborough,
Kent K. Hathaway, Paul R. Hodges, C. Ray Townsend
Approved For Public Release; Distribution Is Unlimited
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450
Wien
nd.CERC >
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Prepared for Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
The contents of this report are not to be used for advertising,
publication, or promotional purposes. Citation of trade names
does not constitute an official endorsement or approval of the use
of such commercial products.
Ge
a PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
Technical Report CERC-95-10
July 1995
Annual Data Summary for 1992
CERC Field Research Facility
Volume |: Main Text and Appendices A and B
by Michael W. Leffler, Clifford F. Baron, Brian L. Scarborough,
Kent K. Hathaway, Paul R. Hodges, C. Ray Townsend
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Waterways Experiment Station
3909 Halls Ferry Road
Vicksburg, MS 39180-6199
Final Report
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
WOH HAAN
Prepared for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Washington, DC 20314-1000
US Army Corps
of Engineers
Waterways Experiment
Station
GEOTECHNICAL |
LABORATORY
HEADQUARTERS
BUILDING
COASTAL ENGINEERING
RESEARCH CENTER
. y, fp : FOR INFORMATION CONTACT :
ENVIRONMENTAL —§ Ly [50 : i , PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE
LABORATORY ¢ f 4 U.S. ARMY ENGINEER
WATERWAYS EXPERIMENT STATION
3909 HALLS FERRY ROAD
VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI 39180-6199
PHONE : [phone]
STRUCTURES
LABORATORY
AREA OF RESERVATION = 2.7 8q km
Waterways Experiment Station Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Annual data summary for 1992, CERC Field Research Facility / by Michael W. Leffler
... [et al.] ; prepared for U.S. Army Corps ofE ngineers.
2 v. : ill. ; 28 cm. -- (Technical report ;C ERC-95-10)
Includes bibliographic references.
v. 1. Main text and appendixes A and B--v. 2. appendixes C through E.
1. Ocean waves -- North Carolina -- Statistics. 2. Water waves -- North Carolina -- Duck
-- Statistics. 3. Oceanographic research stations -- North Carolina -- Duck. 4. Oceanography
-- North Carolina -- Duck -- Statistics. I. Leffler, Michael W. II. United States. Army. Corps
of Engineers. III. U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station. IV. Coastal
Engineering Research Center (U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station) V.
Series: Technical report (U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station) ; CERC-95-
10.
TA7 W34 no.CERC-95-10
Contents
Page
NtROGUCHIO ME ers he Net ea yc Nowe: rmc onics seh eaten pat aban ciah vich eutetigctNts AERA caret waeceeeeb ye: 1
—
BACK ROUGE Miche aise a eteateway ate abe @ shear o ayibics Gueee ers mierie ielneieiie soe atone pies oes 1
OKeAMiZAtlONIOLERE POLE: vars rems Syoeey he toch ae ee eae Heme coht olS ry co A Me al oe eee Me 1
AW ail ab ilitypO tiAt acama ts eteecllecre ever aera asean shyla prea ts, abort callers te ea eae ed Ae 2
IMICTCOTOLBOY Sie aed icim teste tum an testes Senate seins Gents lye ehh uy nee URI recs Jb ener aoA ctes came Meade ee 4
PITA CTP CRACULC 24 cuter eure ukacle ret aera, ameiRajcst te en ase ocvel el > cate ALM ot cove asthe 4
PMCIMOSPH CLIC AREESSUTC Ua sitar rie men HAAR nai van trams amri gn ae chun wrest eyu ray) uray eureg e 6
IBRCCIPICALLOM er py oye epee ere oeo ho s le soe de ay eRe cent abet ea teRed on ae cae 7
WindiSpeedvand@ Direction). cy.avsas fa ates ts sea Gorent erish ctiaratch hea euapat alg een reoeaeneree 9
VARYO CHIGG. lho ok ts met ne MER seer nS aa ABER Onna ee nnAN Alas PRGMEIGECED 1c, ucMoy a Gye Om oucEC TS 18
Measurement: Instruments, baggies aces oec oorsi eorencscconsapep Pata ewe cayoueNeh fecucil oret ite eee 18
DicitaleDatarAnalysissands Summ atizatlonmrewe es wen ene ae eae 19
EES UTES ean etre et astra LD <1 eaee e REN a Rey cea Uio ven tre aa eel Abr at ra ite ach a a 20
Ginrentseeegees MA ays. lemme Calct Tet paar ORR CA Ue ek Rue eee NS oe 34
Observations. seas kek com ee itadinai is seencenc Nae eae esA RE haa: oe aa ees 34
IRESUItS waa stecse sa) Merck aed cecet et ecm ck tyes 1sC andA U Mince rep SHEN ote ng aya Boal See che 34
seic eskandaWiatentseV.elSyarste yala S Too Ont au cae: eha peinetenisgtace "Pula mE chc ue yg ae duce 37
Measunementslnstrmentis aracqchcecuta ny issue es cee cece etn ce citiescis, «15 0St Snes oss eee LSE © 37
PRESUMES) maar ons, Kwertur imine aia cl encuciin) eet enet EN ce eae Ty Ran ce trae Si)
WiaterCharacteristiCS a;a .c. uty sh bie > ce oe hn ees cS Oo ai plea ee oe 41
SEPEM LAtU Re Meester Pent epecieiets ce HORS ctac uients ing « ellegce’ ta)c hc iatcreanea eme be a ailc la tlas Iai sthe lactate Belia ge 41
NWASIDINt ye e-geptes hone acho arteries. onl oot Secy oram eru tetemte tis ne een Owns, euorteeae miseries 42
DCMSIt ere OAS rere arcu am Seems Nea eion hata) Cty kpe os sayA aneae ete Menten S:Q nee s 43
iil
8) Photography O75: <6.) c05 Se els Ae ene Reet eh eo Rue ond ence Redew eee emcee eens anent 47
Aerial Photographs) 2.04 sh sles slo ieny o ctkahet wits: Mico tet) Peete oleae irene Rte g cos omelet ore 47
Beach, Photographs: <<) 4 slay syavien Seo nites eueeh late tues ined anCmCnne Tole ae Mie ae ee aces 47
OVEN) (0)0 t ie ach eo eT east nen CR: OFo lGucrc IATA MEA Tor ola: GLO“MIGLY cCoca 20 Oat! ‘GN0,6 6lu.a-6 54
S=5/January 19927 re ee eee eee cee ee cet ern ener ones et ane en 55)
6-8 February, 1992 i awe, Says eames tea halon et nce et mee eee ore t md eet 56
26-27 Marchi 1992) 25 tt) oe ey Oe Rati thane mee tals cataract ocala 57
NEI 0)0 Wl Pete neo eer aut! Bil ie DERE UA OG Glote ww1 Oo Ghichal yale < 58
28-30 April 1992) 0o e ree mtne che ete e,S H fahren ener m MRL enO Mc reel eager tela ast yeane a 59
628 May 1992) 5 5 ous oh ht iets cielo) aie ea cena ie aie ede acces esniawlet rier ate 60
1 9=20) May 1992 ul ke ok) Rd. eeiciras taecreie gaat ages uel nena oaintes: Shuey Nancy eyt ele it ese 61
23ySeptembers992airopicalyStormeanicll Cumen- wer Wace iineneet e a 62
4-6: October: 1992228) 28 ies GOene eo ici eee area ches eters culee sce ceneeiee once eee em 63
10-LisDecember 1992-92 250s oa eo Ck ite a eet Oe ee Reems 64
12-16; December M992 ae ee ae ey aa ceeo hc orel hey nue esa enehan einet e els reine 65
29 December: 19927 vee soe oe RS Bitetcs ekt es ep eee eoaer ha atetnoh once OL Sy Uke i mente 66
LEtoE)f =))1 G NO Se Re eT «SG Aires ets SB asc ere ott eR en eae ioieicoe, ce o-ead. a Loto oo ose.G 67
AppendixvAcs Surveyeb atayney |e) iain ieee fae ick eden acon ae ae et ee Al
AppendixiBa= Wave Datastom Gagel65 0mm eri ier ntti ile a te Bl
Dy hy Jet Bil I oso bagaacccoedssveegnoasaoc cbcaogonaoccs0 s Bl
Joint Digenibucions Oi Jet eitI bb pe oc gadoagenl Gb 555580000000% 2 Bl
Cumulative nietipncioneto f Wave Height Fa eR Dy eM uch nearest MaR bRsel i GHG org Bl
Peake SpectralaWavevReriods Distributions yer iem yin n t tae Bl
Persistence of Wave Heightsmyeaeine sala aienreren reac ienei ed nena cncn tiet eecciey imeem erent B2
Spectra, 01a) c) hance scieee al REMI GR AnR OAR, 0 ah ee ae OnE Ret cee B2
Appendix cl: Wave Data for CAN Wai Ona yh Rete eh 8456S (56 GoG BOG. 6)O se Byn -070. dio! on8 Cl
Daily: He. goiand JR6 wale sinkraet Sans cngeiteale nnaa N, dE gaa iaeeniguCe Cl
Joint Distributions oi He wand eee ii tee eee en (Cll
CumulativesDistcibutionstotawavesHeniece)h at iinetsic iienei neeant eineainte n Cl
Peaks SpectraluWavie Periods Distributions ei aew inn neni eee Cl
RersistencevoraWavesrlciohts isi emeeenie iene nena iene ncn ic a ne ee a C2
Spectra: tat eas ales ia Cee ou ee ee a C2
1 A limited number of copies of Appendixes C-E (Volume II) were published under separate cover.
Copies are available from National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Road, Spring-
field, VA 22161.
IV
AppendixsD Wave Dataror GaserO2 5 nwa ac een eine enn a onica ayant eee D1
IDETN id o Ure Total ES tapentatanatn eavcupral cles Miero ta late cy)G hote, entice Aca a Termin oe sen D1
Joint Distributions OF BEDE ANGe le eyeencuenceeey cist stewN ha raven aren eco nedsis yates cha tta D1
Cumulative Distributions ¢o f Wave Height ibahyclgah nero lma raayeateieactrteuene sais Uren e 05)s est ee ciyeeoet eat D1
ReakaSpectralWiavePeriod) Distributions ere eee ier ee ee nee D1
Persistence Of WaverHelghtsigeacsnt acts, sisi, an teueonie vaya euro oyek ane anyen te,e ae ae ee D2
SPCCtra RA care eee pester an espishee ohc u Wen NUR eMail ce mee Cues Li Bar cer ISN eauen in Murisl eno e D2
AD DCHGIXGE:-saW.aVerD atanlor Gage O4 Si eraasena oeeesuey ce euciet ae ees Anes ei eer seat El
DENK? Jet GL EN Sooo bod bn og peo bob Ue OOo oC ooh ao Oe bo ee oo eno 6 aOD El
Joint Distributions OE els. Gilet Wns ood odie im 6 bl HO 6 0 NMG ald O16 00 Ga Bott El
Cumulative Distributions ¢G i ee mse Se veicaltaas) nse occa aria ek ek tacaeae cesta eee El
peaks Spectralawiaverberiods Distrib UtOns iy ergy ey aca re memrnetr gene ere ee ail
BCEsiStence OL Wave Helghtss nsegun ected aie ho eym enos) oya it ecednea on her Mae ee a E2
SPECtEA er Bouec ee are ee ene eee cea cue a urn hola int au een eee ce E2
Preface
This report is the 14th in a series of annual data summaries authorized by Headquarters, US Army
Corps of Engineers (HQUSACE), under Civil Works Research Work Unit 32525, "Field Research
Facility Analysis", Coastal Flooding Program. Funds were provided through the US Army Engineer
Waterways Experiment Station (WES), Coastal Engineering Research Center (CERC), under the
program management of Ms. Carolyn M. Holmes, CERC. The HQUSACE Technical Monitors were
Messrs. John H. Lockhart, Jr.; Barry Holliday; John G. Housley; and David Roellig.
The data for the report were collected and analyzed at the WES/CERC Field Research Facility
(FRF) in Duck, NC. The report was prepared by Mr. Michael W. Leffler, FRF, under the direct
supervision of Mr. William A. Birkemeier, Chief, FRF Group, Engineering Development Division
(EDD), and Mr. Thomas W. Richardson, Chief, EDD; and under the general supervision of Dr.
James R. Houston and Mr. Charles C. Calhoun, Jr., Director and Assistant Director, CERC, respec-
tively. Mr. Kent K. Hathaway, FRF, assisted with instrumentation, and Mr. Brian L. Scarborough,
FRF, assisted with data collection. Messrs. Clifford F. Baron, Stuart Holme, Guan-hong Lee,
and Jonathan J. Lee, and Mses. Judy H. Roughton and Sharon Nearhoof assisted with data analysis at
the FRF. Additional assistance was provided by Ms. Dawn S. Miller, FRF. The National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration/National Ocean Service maintained the tide gage and provided statis-
tics for summarization.
At the time of publication of this report, Director of WES was Dr. Robert W. Whalin.
Commander was LTC(P) Bruce K. Howard, EN.
vi
1 Introduction
Background
The U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station (WES), Coastal Engineering Research
Center’s (CERC’s) Field Research Facility (FRF), located on 0.7 km? at Duck, NC (Figure 1), con-
sists of a 561-m-long research pier and accompanying office and field support buildings. The FRF is
located near the middle of Currituck Spit along a 100-km unbroken stretch of shoreline extending
south of Rudee Inlet, VA, to Oregon Inlet, NC. The FRF is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the
east and Currituck Sound to the west. The facility is designed to (a) provide a rigid platform from
which waves, currents, water levels, and bottom elevations can be measured, especially during severe
storms; (b) provide CERC with field experience and data to complement laboratory and analytical
studies and numerical models; (c) provide a manned field facility for testing new instrumentation; and
(d) serve as a permanent field basé of operations for physical and biological studies of the site and
adjacent region.
The research pier is a reinforced concrete structure supported on 0.9-m-diam steel piles spaced
12.2 m apart along the pier’s length and 4.6 m apart across the width. The piles are embedded ap-
proximately 20 m below the ocean bottom. The pier deck is 6.1 m wide and extends from behind the
duneline to about the 6-m water depth contour at a height of 7.8 m above the National Geodetic Ver-
tical Datum (NGVD). The pilings are protected against sand abrasion by concrete erosion collars and
against corrosion by a cathodic system.
An FRF Measurements and Analysis Program has been established to collect basic oceanographic
and meteorological data at the site, reduce and analyze these data, and publish the results.
This report, which summarizes data for 1992, continues a series of reports begun in 1977.
Organization of Report
This report is organized into nine Chapters and five appendixes. Chapter 1 is an introduction;
Chapters 2 through 8 discuss the various data collected during the year; and Chapter 9 describes the
storms that occurred. Appendix A presents the bathymetric surveys, Appendix B summarizes
deepwater wave statistics, and Appendixes C through E (published under separate cover as Volume II)
contain summary statistics for other gages.
In each Chapter of this report, the respective instruments used for monitoring the meteorological
or Oceanographic conditions are briefly described, along with data collection and analysis procedures
Research
Facility
Figure 1. FRF location map
and data results. The instruments were interfaced with the primary data acquisition system, a Digital
Equipment Corporation (Maynard, MA) VAX-11/750 minicomputer located in the FRF laboratory
building. More detailed explanations of the design and the operation of the instruments may be found
in Miller (1980). Readers’ comments on the format and usefulness of the data presented are
encouraged.
Availability of Data
Table 1 summarizes the available data. In addition to the wave data summaries in the main text,
more extensive summaries for each of the wave gages are provided in Appendixes B through E.
The annual data summary herein summarizes daily observations by month and year to provide
basic data for analysis by users. Daily measurements and observations have already been reported in
a series of monthly Preliminary Data Summaries (FRF 1992). If individual data for the present year
are needed, the user can obtain detailed information (as well as the monthly and previous annual re-
ports) from the following address:
USAE Waterways Experiment Station
Coastal Engineering Research Center
Field Research Facility
1261 Duck Rd.
Kitty Hawk, NC 27949-4472