- Experimental study and theoretical analysis show that the critical value of relative wave height (H/ d)b given by Goda and the critical wave steepness (H/ L)b given by Michell and Miche can be adopted as the spilling breaking indices of regular waves. According to the same principle, a systematic theoretical analysis and experiment of irregular waves have been done by the authors in order to solve the breaking problem of irregular waves. It is indicated that the authors’ method for determining wave breaking of regular waves can also be used for irregular waves. - Experimental study and theoretical analysis show that the critical value of relative wave height (H / d) b given by Goda and the critical wave steepness (H / L) b given by Michell and Miche can be adopted as the spilling breaking indices of regular waves. According to the same principle, a systematic theoretical analysis and experiment of irregular waves have been done by the authors in order to solve the breaking problem of irregular waves. It is indicated that the authors’ method for determining wave breaking of regular waves can also be used for irregular waves.