Numerical simulation of local scour with free surface and automatic mesh deformation

Abstract

A numerical model for local scour with free surface and automatic mesh deformation is constructed and numerical simulation is carried out to compare with experimental results. The kappa-epsilon model is used to simulate the turbulent flow field. Two interfaces (water and air, water and sediment) in the domain are captured with different approaches. The free surface of the flow is captured by Volume of Fluid (VOF) scheme which is a Eulerian approach. The water-sediment interface (bed) is captured with moving mesh method which is a Lagrangian approach. The flow field is coupled with sediment transport using a quasi-steady approach. Good results have been obtained using current model. The flow field is comparable with the experiment. Scour patterns are similar to the experimental data. © 2007 ASCE.