Long-term distribution of seabed shear stresses beneath random waves

The long-term distribution of seabed shear stresses under random waves is presented. The approach combines short-term distribution of maximum bottom shear stresses with a joint frequency table of significant wave height and peak period. An example of application is given where the long-term probability of exceeding a given level of the maximum bottom shear stress in the central North Sea is presented. The example includes estimation of the return period of the critical shear stress for sheet flow conditions, as well as the bottom shear stresses associated with the 1, 10 and 100 years return periods. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.