Modeling of solitary wave interaction with emerged porous breakwater using PLIC-VOF method

Abstract

Rubble mound breakwaters are porous structures providing a calm basin for ship berthing, loading, and offloading in ports. In this paper, a numerical model was developed to study solitary wave-porous breakwaters interaction using the VOF method. The flow was assumed to be incompressible and viscous; therefore, Navier-Stokes and continuity equations were extended as the governing equations. In the study domain, waves were generated and propagated via a piston type wave maker in the left lateral boundary, while in the right end side, an open boundary was implemented. The model was validated by comparing its results with existing data for wave interaction with porous media. A parametric study was then conducted on wave-porous breakwater interaction. Effects of the important parameters such as porosity, drag and inertia coefficients of the medium and submergence and emergence of the breakwater on the wave damping and reflection were evaluated. The results demonstrate that the developed model is a powerful tool for this complicated wave structure interaction modeling.