Development of a numerical wave tank of deep ocean engineering basin via high order spectral method

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this study, we developed a numerical model for simulating wave environments of the deep ocean engineering basin (DOEB) by utilising the high order spectral (HOS) method. The approach employed the pseudospectral basis of the cosine function to automatically account for the tank wall boundary conditions. Additionally, the fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm was implemented to maximise the numerical efficiency. For selecting an appropriate wave generation technique for the DOEB, which distinguishes itself as a large-scale facility with controllable depth, in contrast to conventional wave basins, two-dimensional wave generation simulations were executed. These simulations entailed the application and subsequent evaluation of the embedded wave generation technique and the additional potential technique. Of these, the embedded wave generation technique, characterised by its suitability for numerical efficiency and adaptability to variable water depths, was chosen for implementation in the DOEB numerical tanks. The Stroke–source converting procedure was established to transform the stroke time history of the wave maker into the input wave source time history for the embedded wave generation technique, with due consideration to phase correction. In order to validate the developed numerical model, a wave generation experiment was conducted, and its results were compared with the numerical simulations. This comparative analysis revealed a high degree of correspondence between the nonlinear simulations and the experimental wave time history, demonstrating the model’s ability to accurately replicate higher-order wave components, including wave–wave interactions. The resulting numerical model serves as a valuable computer-aided tool, enhancing the efficiency of experiments within the DOEB.