Investigation of the Spiral Wave Generation and Propagation on a Numerical Circular Wave Tank Model

Abstract

A two-phase incompressible flow model in three-dimensional cylindrical coordinates is applied for oblique wave generation in a numerical circular wave tank. The governing equations are discretized by a finite volume method, and a mass source function is added to reproduce oblique waves through a spiral wave generator positioned at the center of the tank. The volume of fluid method is implemented to track the free surfaces between the air and fluid, and the zonal embedded grid system is adopted to obtain a grid-independent solution in the cylindrical coordinates. A permeable, circumferentially sloping topography (1:7), similar to a natural beach profile, is set up for investigating wave propagation and other characteristics. The simulation and physical experimental results are compared, which show a good agreement in randomly selected water surface elevation profiles and wave heights under the same wave and sloping conditions. The spiral waves are reproduced and propagated in a phenomenon similar to that observed in the physical experiment. The results also show that the wave-breaking positions differ in different wave conditions and suggest a relationship with cross-shore and longshore velocity distribution in terms of incident wave heights and wave-breaking positions in different wave periods on the same sloping topography. Furthermore, this model can be used to investigate the mechanism of longshore current generation and the influences of beach slope on the generated wave propagation in a sloping topography.