Application of LiDAR technology for measurement of time-varying free-surface profiles in a laboratory wave flume

An experimental study was completed to investigate the ability of a fixed, two-dimensional LiDAR instrument to obtain detailed measurements of propagating waves within a laboratory wave flume. The results show that this technology can be used to obtain synchronous free-surface measurements at a horizontal spatial resolution O(10 mm), with comparable vertical accuracy to that of more conventional, high-precision capacitance wave probes. The principal advantage of using the LiDAR is that a single, non-intrusive instrument can be utilised to measure the entire wave field at high resolution allowing detailed evaluation of wave transformation throughout the experimental domain.

► Time-varying free-surface measurements using a LiDAR instrument in a wave flume. ► Free-surface measurements compare well with capacitance wave probes. ► Non-intrusive measurements of wave field at high spatial and temporal resolution. ► Ideal for investigation of wave transformation in shallow water.