Flow Around a Pile Under Highly Non-linear Waves Using an Unstructured Finite-Volume Technique

Abstract

This study has coupled a wave generating model with the existing in-house 3D Large Eddy Simulation (LES) hydrodynamic model. The primary focus is to simulate the hydrodynamics around a circular cylinder under non-linear waves. To accurately capture the behaviour of non-linear waves, a relaxation method is implemented on an unstructured grid, and its effectiveness is examined in a numerical wave tank with a vertical cylinder. To validate the accuracy of the proposed model, we compare the simulation results with experimental data, specifically analysing the transmission of the wave surface across the cylinder and examining the phased-averaged pressure distribution. The simulations also consider the shedding of lee-wake vortices, and the results are extensively discussed. Significantly, this paper represents the first known investigation of hydrodynamics under non-linear waves using the large-eddy simulation technique on unstructured grids. This approach opens up new possibilities for studying complex wave-structure interactions with improved accuracy and realism.