Dynamic loads on submerged bodies in a viscous numerical wave tank at small KC numbers

Abstract

In this paper, an improved version of the MAC method (SIMAC), recently developed at the University of Trieste, is employed for the study of the wave generation and propagation into a numerical wave tank and for the evaluation of dynamic loads over submerged fixed bodies. In the first part of the work, a numerical wave tank was developed. A pneumatic wave-maker at the left-hand side of the tank was implemented by the use of a pressure perturbation at the free surface. The pressure varies in time with a sinusoidal law. Grid sensitivity tests, checks on mass conservation and the Fourier analysis of the waves which propagate in the tank showed the effectiveness of SIMAC in treating such problems. The wave-maker was then calibrated. In the second part of the work, the dynamic loads over submerged square and rectangular cylinders were evaluated. The time records of the horizontal and vertical forces which act over the body were then treated using the Morison equation in order to derive the inertial and damping coefficients. The analysis was carried out for KC numbers ranging between 0.447 and 3.58. Numerical results satisfactorily tallied with experimental data. The analysis of the velocity field near the body evidenced the influence of vortex generation and vortex shedding on the coefficients of inertial forces.