Numerical simulation of ship waves in the presence of a uniform current

Abstract

This paper presents a non-hydrostatic model to simulate the generation and propagation of ship waves in the presence of a uniform current. A moving pressure field method is incorporated into the model to represent the movement of a ship hull. Numerical results of ship waves in the presence of a following or an opposing uniform current are compared with those of ship waves without current. The calculated cusp-line angles in the presence of a following or opposing uniform current agree well with analytical solutions. The effects of a following uniform current and an opposing uniform current on the characteristic wave parameters are presented and discussed. The response of the maximum water level elevation to the ship draft is also presented in the presence of a following or an opposing uniform current and is compared with that for ship waves without current. It is found that the maximum water level elevation lateral to the ship hull can be increased by the presence of a following uniform current for a certain range of Froude numbers F r ′ = U s / g h , where U s is the ship speed and h is the water depth. If the uniform current is neglected, the response of the maximum water level elevation to the ship draft in the presence of a following or an opposing current can be underestimated. The present study indicates that the effect of a uniform current should be considered in the analysis of ship waves. • Ship waves in the presence of a uniform current are studied by a non-hydrostatic model. • Effects of a following current on characteristic wave parameters are investigated. • Effects of an opposing current on characteristic wave parameters are investigated. • The response of the maximum water level elevation to the ship draft is discussed.