2-D numerical analysis of near-field flow at low-crested permeable breakwaters

Abstract

This paper describes the capability of a numerical model named COrnell BReaking waves And Structures (COBRAS) [Lin, P., Liu, P.L.-F., 1998. A numerical study of breaking waves in the surf zone. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 359, 239–264; Liu, P.L.-F., Lin, P., Chang, K.A., Sakakiyama, T., 1999. Numerical modeling of wave interaction with porous structures. Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal and Ocean Engineering 125, 322–330, Liu, P.L.-F., Lin, P., Hsu, T., Chang, K., Losada, I.J., Vidal, C., Sakakiyama, T., 2000. A Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes equation model for nonlinear water wave and structure interactions. Proc. Coastal Structures '99, 169–174] based on the Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations to simulate the most relevant hydrodynamic near-field processes that take place in the interaction between waves and low-crested breakwaters. The model considers wave reflection, transmission, overtopping and breaking due to transient nonlinear waves including turbulence in the fluid domain and in the permeable regions for any kind of geometry and number of layers. Small-scale laboratory tests were conducted in order to validate the model, with different wave conditions and breakwater configurations. In the present study, regular waves of different heights and periods impinging on a wide-crested structure are considered. Three different water depths were tested in order to examine the influence of the structure freeboard. The experimental set-up includes a flow recirculation system aimed at preventing water piling-up at the lee of the breakwater due to overtopping. The applicability and validity of the model are examined by comparing the results of the numerical computations with experimental data. The model is proved to simulate with a high degree of agreement all the studied magnitudes, free surface displacement, pressure inside the porous structure and velocity field. The results obtained show that this model represents a substantial improvement in the numerical modelling of low-crested structures (LCS) since it includes many processes neglected previously by existing models. The information provided by the model can be useful to analyse structure functionality, structure stability, scour and many other hydrodynamic processes of interest.