Numerical Study of the Kinematic Motions of a Solitary Wave Hitting an Inclined Plate

Abstract

In this study, we numerically investigated the vortex patterns and free-surface deformations of a solitary wave interacting with a bottom-mounted plate at various inclinations in shallow water. Assuming two-dimensional, incompressible, and non-breaking conditions, we considered a viscous fluid based on the streamfunction-vorticity algorithm used in Navier–Stokes equations. We solved the governing equations by finite analysis, and used an averaged two-time step method to consider nonlinear conditions on the free surface. To fit the irregular boundaries and reveal the fine details of the vortex phenomenon, we applied a transient boundary-fitted grid along with a local-grid-refinement technique and examined the vortex mechanics around the submerged barrier. We then compared the numerical solutions obtained for the flow patterns with existing experimental observations to ensure the efficiency and accuracy of the numerical model. In addition, we systematically simulated other cases using this model to explore kinematic phenomena such as streamlines, equi-vorticity lines, streak lines, timelines, and path lines.