Design Assessment of Mechanical Wavemakers: A Comprehensive Study Towards Wave-Structure Interaction Applications

Abstract

Abstract The development of novel marine installation concepts and physical wave modeling rely on experimental testing in water wave facilities. A crucial element in such experiments is mechanical wavemakers, which are ubiquitous in many experimental wave tank tests, ranging from shallow to deep water applications such as wave structure interactions, coastal processes, and shore protections. The present study introduces and investigates the influence of geometrical modifications to the classical piston-type mechanical wavemaker on surface wave generation. To achieve this, theoretical models based on the classical linear potential flow hydrodynamics were derived, predicting wave height and power requirements of the proposed wavemaker designs. Moreover, several two and three-dimensional numerical CFD simulations, using the Open-Source Field Operations and Manipulations (OpenFOAM) CFD numerical package, were conducted to validate and assess the proposed theoretical analysis. Finally, experimental tests were performed for a rigidly fixed cylinder subject to monochromatic wave trains to validate the outcomes of the numerical models. Overall, free surface profiles and hydrodynamic-induced forces of the theoretical, numerical, and experimental observations are in very good agreement, indicating the validity of the presented theoretical analysis. The proposed geometrical modifications are relatively straightforward to be applied and extend the versatility of the conventional piston-type wavemakers for different target design wave conditions.