TIDES

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOME

CO2
Assess tidal effects on ocean water.
 PO-CO MAPPING

PROGRAMME OUTCOMES (PO)

PO1: Acquire and apply PO2: Identify, formulate and
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES engineering fundamentals to solve complex civil
complex civil engineering engineering problems using
problems. creativity and innovativeness
Evaluate the properties of offshore and
CO1 near shore waves, and establish design X
wave specifications
CO2 Assess tidal effects on the ocean water X
Formulate sediment budget and shoreline
CO3 X
evolution analysis
Compare the concepts of various coastal
CO4 X
erosion mitigation measures
COURSE OUTCOMES

At the end of this course, students should be able to:

• explain the formation of various types of tide.
• predict tidal levels.
 WHAT ARE TIDES?
• Very long-period waves moving through the oceans in response
to the forces exerted by the moon and sun.
• Originated in the oceans and progress towards coastlines, as
regular rise and fall of the sea levels, causing change in current
speed and direction.
• Their propagation and amplitude (tidal range = HW – LW) are
influenced by nearshore hydrography, bottom friction, the
rotation of the earth (Coriolis acceleration) and resonance
determined by the shapes and depths of the ocean basins.
 TIDES Term Definition
Tidal range Vertical height from high to low
Tidal period Time between highs or lows
Water level
(m)

Crest = High tide Crest = High tide

Tidal Time (hr)

range 0 6 12 18 24

Trough = Low tide Trough = Low tide

L L
TIDAL LEVELS
High water – Maximum height reached by a rising tide
Low water – Maximum height reached by a falling tide
 TIDES AS THE SHALLOW WATER
Because of its long period, the tide propagates as a shallow water
wave even over the deepest parts of the ocean.

L >>d; d/L < 0.04  shallow water

 WHAT CAUSES TIDES?

• Tides result from the gravitational attraction of the sun and moon
on the oceans of the earth.
• Newton’s law of universal gravitation: The greater the mass of the
objects and the closer they are to each other the greater the
gravitational attraction between them.
• The moon has the biggest influence (about twice the sun’s
gravitational force on the oceans) because it is close. The sun tugs
on the oceans too, but since it’s so far away, it has less influence
than the moon.
Sun’s gravitational attraction to the earth is 177 times greater than that of the moon
to earth. Due to the great distance of the Sun and Earth, resulting Sun has about
46% of the tide generating force of the moon.
 GRAVITY, INERTIA AND THE TWO BULGES

• Gravity: the major force creating tides

• Inertia (counterbalance gravity): Caused by centrifugal force
• Gravity and inertia created the two major tidal bulges on the
earth.
 TIDE GENERATION
2 forces operating on the water envelope:
Gravitational force (Fg) and centrifugal force (Fi)

Water surface due to Fg Fg = F c

and Fi (Lunar tide)

Fi pull the water away M1 M2

from the Earth’s r
surface

Fg = M1M2/r2

Water surface without Fg and

Fi (Solar tide)
 FREQUENCY OF TIDES

Most area, experience two high tides and two low tides every lunar day
(Solar day – 24 hours; Lunar day – 24 hours 50 minutes)
 TYPE OF CALENDAR: CHRISTIAN VS LUNAR
Christian Calendar Lunar Calendar

Based on Rotation of the Sun- Rotation of the Moon-

Earth system Earth system
Day Solar day Lunar day

No. of hours in 24 hr 24 hr 50 min

a day
No. of days in 30.42 days 29.53 days
a month
No of days in a 30.42 x 12 = 365 29.53 x 12 = 354.36
year days days
SOLAR DAY VS LUNAR DAY
 Main Tidal Periods

Lunar Tides

Semidiurnal lunar (1/2 lunar day) = 12 hrs 25 min

Diurnal lunar ( 1 lunar day) = 24 hrs 50 min

Solar Tides

Semidiurnal solar (1/2 solar day) = 12 hrs

Diurnal solar ( 1 solar day) = 24 hrs
 Daily Inequality
N

Latitude
E Equilibrium Tide
J
Declination
Equator Earth Moon

SIDE VIEW

An observer traveling along a constant latitude would experience 2

tides of equal height height per day, when the moon is in the plane
of the equator. When the moon has a North/South declination with
respect to the equator, he/she would experience 2 tides day of
unequal height. Therefore, daily inequality is the difference
between two successive low or high tides.
 Daily Inequality
To Moon Earth’s axis

Declination of Moon

S
Low ‘high tide’
Large ‘high tide’

The 2 daily tides have different ranges: 1 high tide is higher than
the other during each complete rotation of the Earth.
 Daily Water
Levels

HW
Daily
HW inequality
Rise Rise

Daily MTL
MSL
Daily MWL
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24

Fall Fall

LW LW Daily
inequality
Ebb Flood Ebb Flood Ebb
 Semidiurnal Tides
(Half Daily Tides)

Two highs and lows daily tides are about the same height; these
have periods close to 12 hours
 Diurnal Tides
(Daily Tides)

One high and one low tide per day; these have periods close
to 24 hours
 Mixed Tides

Variable height between lows and highs (a large inequality in the

vertical range).
Mixture of semidiurnal and diurnal.
 Semidiurnal Tides

1 day

Maximum
Spring Tidal
Range = 6 m

Neap (3 days)

Spring (3 days)

Two high and low waters each day

 Diurnal Tides

1 day

One high and low water each day

Mixed Predominantly Semidiurnal Tides

1 day 1 day

Two high and low waters each day during most of the
time, only one high and low water during neap tides
 Mixed Predominantly Diurnal Tides

1 day 1 day

One dominant high and low water each day, two high
and low waters during neap tide
 Moon's Synchronous Orbit

Seen from above the earth's

FIRST
QUARTER
North Pole, the moon's orbit
carries it counterclockwise around
FULL NEW
the earth once every 29.5 days.
MOON MOON As it follows its orbit, the moon
itself also rotates
counterclockwise and keeps the
THIRD same side facing the earth.
QUARTER

MOON ORBIT
 Spring Tides

Extra High High Tides

Extra Low Low Tides

When the sun, moon and earth are all aligned (occurred during the
new moon and the full moon), the gravitational full of the moon and
sun are combined, resulting the lunar tidal bulges added on top of
the solar tidal bulges. At these times, the high tides are very high
and the low tides are very low. This is known as a spring tides which
occur twice a month.
 The Neap Tides

When the moon is in the first and third quarters, the sun and moon
work at right angles, causing the bulges to cancel each other. This
result in a smaller difference beyween high and low tides and is
known as a neap tides. Neap tides are especially weak tides.
 TIDE PREDICTION
Tidal ratio determines the importance of diurnal and semi-diurnal
harmonics
𝐾1 + 𝑂1
𝐹=
𝑀2 + 𝑆2
Constituent Description
K1 Soli-Lunar constituent – Diurnal tides (speed: 15.041
degrees per mean solar hour)
O1 Main-Lunar constituent – Diurnal tides (speed: 13.943
degrees per mean solar hour)
M2 Main-Lunar constituent – Semi-diurnal tides (speed:
28.984 degrees per mean solar hour)
S2 Main-Solar constituent – Semi-diurnal tides (speed:
30.000 degrees per mean solar hour)
TIDE FORM CLASSIFICATION
𝐾1 + 𝑂1
𝐹=
𝑀2 + 𝑆2

F Tidal form
0.00 – 0.25 Semi-diurnal tide
0.25 – 1.50 Mixed, Predominantly Semidiurnal tide
1.50 – 3.00 Mixed, Predominantly Diurnal tide
> 3.00 Diurnal tide
TIDE PREDICTION: EXAMPLE
Classify the form of tide at Harbour X.

Constituent Period (h) Amplitude (cm)

K1 23.93 31
O1 25.83 26
M2 12.42 45
S2 12.00 10

𝐾1 + 𝑂1
𝐹=
𝑀2 + 𝑆2
 MAXIMUM TIDE LEVEL

• Summation of the amplitudes of the tidal harmonics to the mean

water level.

• Max tide level = M2 + S2 + K1 + O1 + Z0

NEW 1ST FULL 3RD
MOON QUATER MOON QUATER

High Water Spring

High Water Neap

Low Water Neap

Low Water Spring

 TIDAL LEVELS
Term Definition
High water/tide Highest level reached at a place by the water surface in one tidal
cycle
Low water/tide Lowest level reached at a place by the water surface in one tidal
cycle
Mean high water The average of all the high water level at a place over a period
Mean low water The average of all the low water level at a place over a period
 TIDAL LEVELS
Term Definition
Mean tide level/ Average of MHW and MLW within a certain period at a place
half-tide level
Mean water level The average of all hourly water level over the available period
of record
Mean sea level Average height of the surface of sea at a tide station for all
stages of tide over a period, usually determined by hourly
height reading measured from a fixed pre-determined
reference level.
 TIDAL LEVELS

Term Definition
Mean high water Average height of the high waters of spring tides at a place
spring (MHWS) over a period
Mean high water neap Average height of the high waters of neap tides at a place
(MHWN) over a period
Mean low water spring Average height of the low waters of spring tides at a place
(MLWS) over a period
Mean low water neap Average height of the low waters of neap tides at a place
(MLWN) over a period
 Tidal day
Tidal
Period
Datum
6 12 18 0 6 12 18 0 hr Higher High
Lower High Water
3 Water
2 Tidal Tidal
1 Rise Range
0 Time
-1 Higher Low
Water
Lower Low
Water

Mean Higher High Water (MHHW)

Average height of higher high waters at a place over a period.

Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW)

Average height of lower low waters at a place over a period.
 Extreme Tidal Levels
Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT)
The lowest tidal level which can be predicted to occur under average
meteorological conditions and under any combination of astronomical
condition

Highest Astronomical Tides (HAT)

The highest tidal level which can be predicted to occur under average
meteorological conditions and under any combination of astronomical
condition
 TIDAL DATUM

A tidal datum is a standard elevation defined by a certain phase

of the tide.
Tidal datum are used as references to measure local water levels.
 TIDAL DATUM

In order that they may be recovered when needed, such datum

are referenced to fixed points known as bench marks.
Tidal datum are also the basis for establishing privately owned
land, state owned land, territorial sea, exclusive economic zone,
and high seas boundaries.
 Application of Tidal Datum

Coastal water elevation are referred to a variety of tidal datum

e.g. MSL (mean sea level), LSD (Land Surveying Datum), ACD
(Admiralty Chart Datum), etc.
MSL, MLW and MLLW are usually determined from 19-year
records.
MLW or MLWN datum is commonly used for hydrographic charts to
minimize the possibility of navigators running aground at low tide.
Land elevations are usually referenced to MSL so care must be
taken in combining topographic and hydrographic.
 Level Conversion

1. Hydrographic chart
-ve
– Sounding depth (Bed levels measured below ACD) ACD
+ve
“+” = below ACD ; “-” = above ACD

2. Land surveying chart

+ve
“+” = above ACD/LSD ; “-” = below ACD/LSD Datum
-ve

3. Tide table -ve

ACD
“+” = above ACD +ve

* Units in metres/ fathom [ 1fa = 6 ft = 6 ft x 0.3048 m = 1.8288 m ]

-2 -1 0 2 5 10 1 0 -2 -5 -10

Hydrographical chart Land surveying chart

 Level Conversion

d = 2.2 m LSD  2.2 + 1.5 = 3.7 m ACD

HAT = 3.0 m ACD

MHWS = 2.2 m ACD
2.2 m
2.2 m MSL = 1.9 m ACD
1.9 m LSD = 1.5 m ACD
1.5 m 0.8 m
LAT = ACD = 0 m
(Reference)
10 m 5.0 m d = 0.8 m ACD  -1.9 + 0.8 = -1.1 m MSL

9.8 m
d = - 5.0 m ACD  -5 – 1.9 = -6.9 m MSL
d = -10 m MSL  -10 – (2.2 – 1.9) = -10.3 m MHWS
d = -9.8 m ACD  -9.8 - 1.5 = -11.3 m LSD

Land surveying chart

 Example

-2 -5 -10 If MSL = 2 m above ACD, determine:

i. water depth at A
A = -4 m
ii. MHWS at B in meter ACD when the
water depth is 15 m.
B = -8 m

Solutions: MSL
2m
ACD
i. d=2+4=6m 4m
Sea bottom
A

ii. MHWS = 15 – 8 = 7 m ACD MHWS

15 m
2m MSL
ACD
All levels in meters ACD 8m
B
 Exercise
Tidal levels at Port Dickson: Find:
LAT = -0.10 m ACD a. MHW and MLW
MLWS = 0.26 m ACD b. Mean neap & mean spring ranges
MLWN = 1.09 m ACD c. Mean range
MSL = 1.50 m ACD SOLUTIONS:

MHWN = 1.91 m ACD a. MHW = (1.91 + 2.74)/2 = 2.33 m ACD

MLW = (0.26 + 1.09)/2 = 0.68 m ACD
MHWS = 2.74 m ACD
b. Mean neap range = 1.91 - 1.09 = 0.82 m
HAT = 3.40 m ACD
Mean spring range = 2.74 – 0.26 = 2.48 m
c. Mean range = 2.33 – 0.68 = 1.65 m
or (2.48 + 0.82)/2 = 1.65 m
 Tide Prediction
• A long record (should be 19 years long) of the tide measured on a
continuous basis by a tide gauge is needed to analyzed and then predict
the tide at a particular location.
• The tidal elevation  above a selected datum can be given by

No. of N
 2t 
components
used
  A   Ai cos   i ... Time
i 1  Ti 

Period Phase angle

Vertical distance between Amplitude
the datum and MSL
 Tide Prediction

• The equation can be used to predict future tide levels at the location
where the analyzed record is measured.
• The predicted results are published annually by Malaysian’s Government
for selected ports – Tide Table.
• Data are presented in terms of the elevation (Above Admiralty Chart
Datum, ACD) and time of high and low tide levels.
• Does not include meteorological effects that may be active at a
particular time.
LOCATION OF STANDARD PORTS IN
MALAYSIA