Researchers watching the large wave flume

Large Wave Flume

The Large Wave Flume is the largest of its kind in North America. Because of its size and ability to operate in high Reynolds regimes, the flume is ideally suited for:

  • Cross-shore sediment suspension and transport
  • Wave forces on offshore and coastal structures
  • Nearshore hydrodynamics, wave breaking, swash dynamics, and undertow
  • Tsunami inundation and overland flow
  • Tsunami inundation and overland flow
  • Tsunami structure impact, debris and scour
  • Pollutant mixing and transport
  • Scour pipeline stability and outfalls
  • Liquefaction, cohesive sediments
  • Wave runup, reflection, and overtopping
  • Ocean wave energy systems
Researcher explaining how the flume works

Wave Flume Specifications

  • Length: 104 m (342 ft)
  • Width: 3.7 m (12 ft)
  • Height: 4.6 m (15 ft)
  • Max water depth: 2 m (6.5 ft) for tsunami
  • Max water depth: 2.7 (9 ft) for wind/storm waves
  • Movable adjustable bathymetry/beach

Wave Maker Specifications

  • Type: Piston-type, Hydraulic Actuator Assembly
  • Wave types: Regular, Irregular, Tsunami, User defined
  • Period range: 0.8 to 12+ seconds
  • Max Wave: 1.7 m (5.6 ft) @ 5 sec max in 2.7 m water
  • 1.4 m (3.9 ft) tsunami in max 2.0 m water
  • Max Stroke: 4 m (13.1 ft) at 4 m/s (13.1 ft/s)

Instrumentation Carriage

  • Powered carriage with full cross-shore traverse
  • Carriage-mounted vertical instrument deployment frame
  • Lightweight carriage for video and lighting applications

Wave Maker Specifications

  • Type: Piston-type, Hydraulic Actuator Assembly
  • Wave types: Regular, Irregular, Tsunami, User defined
  • Period range: 0.8 to 12+ seconds
  • Max Wave: 1.7 m (5.6 ft) @ 5 sec max in 2.7 m water
  • 1.4 m (3.9 ft) tsunami in max 2.0 m water
  • Max Stroke: 4 m (13.1 ft) at 4 m/s (13.1 ft/s)
A diagram of a wave maker.

Support

This facility is supported by the National Science Foundation (Award 2037914) and the Pacific Marine Energy Center.

NSF logo
PMEC logo.

Get in touch

Please reach out to our director, Pedro Lomónaco with any questions.

 
Pedro Lomónaco

Director, O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory
School of Civil & Construction Engineering
hinsdale@oregonstate.edu
541-737-2875

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Find addresses, directions, maps, and more on our detailed directions page.

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