NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS OF SPILLING BREAKING WAVES

Abstract

Numerical simulation of spilling breaking waves is still a very challenging aim to achieve since small interface deformations, air entrainment and vorticity generation are involved during the early stage of the breaking of the wave. High mesh grid resolutions and appropriate numerical methods are required to capture accurately the length scales of the complex mechanisms responsible for the start of the breaking (small plunging jet, white foam, etc.). Numerical works usually showed better agreements when simulating plunging breaking waves than the spilling case compared with available experimental data. Kimmoun and Branger (2007) recently experimented surf-zone breaking waves. Detailed pictures showed a short spilling event occurred at the crest of the waves, before degenerating into strong plunging breaker. This work is devoted to the qualitative comparison of our numerical results with the experimental observations, as we will focus on capturing and describing the spilling phase experimented.