Wave height measurement as a secondary function of navigational buoys

This paper presents a method for measuring wave height with navigational buoys which are equipped with an acceleration sensor. The developed method differs from other similar methods by the ability to measure wave height with buoys which are not perfect wave followers - typical in case of navigational buoys. The paper summarizes the experimental study performed using operational marine navigational buoys as sources of wave data, in comparison with wave measurements performed with pressure based wave height and period gauges. Comparative measurements were made in variable forcing conditions and results show good agreement between those two datasets. Some differences that occur mainly during rapid changes of wave parameters, such as during build up and decay of the wave field, can be explained by physical properties of navigational buoys (shape and weight).