ON THE INFLUENCE OF BREAKING WAVE LOCAL GEOMETRY ON IMPULSIVE LOADS

Abstract

In this paper, we study the wave impact process with a multi-fluid Navier-Stokes model (THETIS). Preliminary simulations have been conducted, first on a plunging wave generated by unstable Stokes initial condition, and second, involving a dam breaking bore impact. In both cases, a convergence study shows pressure peak results instability when using different meshes. This is due to the incapacity of the model to ensure, after a certain time of computation, the exact same surface profile at impact when simulating a specific case with different meshes. This instable numerical behavior is somehow similar to peak pressure instabilities observed in experiments. This similarity shows the critical role played by local free surface shape at impact on impulsive loads. When initializing the model with a specific interface right at impact, convergence is observed and the pressure peaks are correctly assessed by the code for moderate intensity impact. However, further improvements are still needed especially regarding the interface tracking technique to simulate the most violent impacts involving the weaker dead rise angles. The paper also encourages us to use numerical simulations preferably to study impact flow at local scale.