This volume consists of five excellent review papers. In the first paper, “A Review of Coastal Wave Modeling: The Physical and Mathematical Problems”, N E Huang presents a summary of the state-of-the-art of wave modeling in deep waters. He points out several shortcomings in existing modeling approaches and expresses the urgent need for developing a statistical theory of surface waves in shallow waters. Huang believes that the statistical theory can be formulated as the soliton turbulence. He also points out other important issues in wave modeling, including the air-sea interaction processes, and the physics of the wave-current and dissipation processes. In the second paper A C Radder focuses his discussion on the “Hamiltonian Dynamics of Water Waves”. He demonstrates that the Hamiltonian theory of surface waves can be formulated in terms of surface elevation and the velocity potential at the free surface as canonical variables. Several evolution equations, can be readily obtained. Radder also points out the need to develop a stochastic wave model in the shallow-water environment.The maximum runup is arguably the single most important parameter in the design of coastal structures and for the evaluation of the inundation potential of storm surges and tsunamis. C E Synolakis presents a thorough review of the “Exact Solutions of Shallow-Water Wave Equations”. For a single sloping beach, the evolution and runup of solitary, dipole, N and cnoidal waves are discussed. These solutions are then extended to more practical problems.The last two papers concern the flow and sediment motions near the seafloor. In their paper, “Boundary Layer and Sediment Dynamics Under Sea Waves”, P Blondeaux and G Vittori give an expert review of the recent contributions on the understanding of the interaction of the coherent vortex with cohesionless or partially cohesive sediments in a boundary layer. The formation and development of small-scale bedforms in the coastal regions are also discussed. Finally, in “Wave Scour Around Structures”, B M Sumer and J Fredsøe review the scouring processes around various types of structures. Many recent experimental data and theoretical developments are presented.
