5 research outputs found
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A fully nonlinear numerical method for modeling wave-current interactions
The presence of current in the ocean can significantly modify the characteristics of ocean waves, and it is considered as an important factor responsible for the occurrence of extreme waves, e.g., rogue waves, which are well known as great threats to ocean engineering practices. The magnitude and direction of ocean current normally vary spatially and ocean waves can become very large and steep. Accurate and efficient phase-revolved numerical methods of full y nonlinear wave-current interactions on a large scale in three dimensions (3D) are required to under stand their properties , but the existing phase-revolved methods are all based on the assumption of linear or weakly nonlinear interactions. This paper will address the issues and present a fully nonlinear numerical method to model the 3D interactions between waves and varying current on a large scale using a phase-revolved formulation . A new set of equations describing the three-dimensional, fully nonlinear interactions between waves and horizontally shearing current is proposed. They are derived by making no assumption on wave steepness or the order of wave- current interaction. The resulting new equations correctly describ e the free surface b oundary conditions by representing the fully nonlinear wave-current interactions , removing the limitation to the small wave steepness of the existing formulations in literature. On this basis, the recently developed Enhanced Spectral Boundary Integral (short as ESBI) method is further enhanced to be able to model the wave-current interactions using the new equations, by developing the appropriate procedure for dealing with the extra terms related to nonlinear wave-current interactions. The new equations are used as the prognostic equations for updating the free surface in time domain, and a fast converging iterative technique is employed to solve them. The robustness of the newly developed method is demonstrated through comparing with experimental data available in literature and good agreements are observed in the several different cases, including the 3D fully interaction between ocean waves and horizontally varying current. A comparison with a Higher Order Spectrum (HOS) method based on weak-nonlinear formulation of wave-current interaction is also made to confirm larger error does appear if the wave steepness is large. The method presented in the paper can be employed to simulate the real evolution of ocean waves on current in a phase-revolved way t o give deep insight s to the dynamics of wave-current interactions, which may not be done correctly by the existing methods so far
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Comparative Numerical Study on Focusing Wave Interaction with FPSO-like Structure
Evaluating the interactions between offshore structures and extreme waves plays an essential role for securing the surviv-ability of the structures. For this purpose, various numerical tools—for example, the fully nonlinear potential theory (FNPT),the Navier–Stokes (NS) models, and hybrid approaches combining different numerical models—have been developed andemployed. However, there is still great uncertainty over the required level of model fidelity when being applied to a widerange of wave-structure interaction problems. This paper aims to shed some light on this issue with a specific focus on theoverall error sourced from wave generation/absorbing techniques and resolving the viscous and turbulent effects, by com-paring the performances of three different models, including the quasi-arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian finite element method(QALE-FEM) based on the FNPT, an in-house two-phase NS model with large-eddy simulation and a hybrid model couplingthe QALE-FEM with the OpenFOAM/InterDymFoam, in the cases with a fixed FPSO-like structure under extreme focus-ing waves. The relative errors of numerical models are defined against the experimental data, which are released after thenumerical works have been completed (i.e., a blind test), in terms of the pressure and wave elevations. This paper providesa practical reference for not only choosing an appropriate model in practices but also on developing/optimizing numericaltools for more reliable and robust predications
Comparative numerical study on focusing wave interaction with FPSO-like structure
Evaluating the interactions between offshore structures and extreme waves plays an essential role for securing the survivability of the structures. For this purpose, various numerical tools—for example, the fully nonlinear potential theory (FNPT), the Navier–Stokes (NS) models, and hybrid approaches combining different numerical models—have been developed and employed. However, there is still great uncertainty over the required level of model fidelity when being applied to a wide range of wave-structure interaction problems. This paper aims to shed some light on this issue with a specific focus on the overall error sourced from wave generation/absorbing techniques and resolving the viscous and turbulent effects, by comparing the performances of three different models, including the quasi-arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian finite element method (QALE-FEM) based on the FNPT, an in-house two-phase NS model with large-eddy simulation and a hybrid model coupling the QALE-FEM with the OpenFOAM/InterDymFoam, in the cases with a fixed FPSO-like structure under extreme focusing waves. The relative errors of numerical models are defined against the experimental data, which are released after the numerical works have been completed (i.e., a blind test), in terms of the pressure and wave elevations. This paper provides a practical reference for not only choosing an appropriate model in practices but also on developing/optimizing numerical tools for more reliable and robust predications
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Investigation of interaction between extreme waves and a moored FPSO using FNPT and CFD solvers
To assess the survivability of marine structures, numerical tools that can predict the interaction between extreme waves and structures are needed. Considering the significant nonlinearity associated with the problem, fully nonlinear models, including the fully nonlinear potential theory (FNPT) and general viscous flow theory based on the Navier-Stokes equation (NS) and Continuity equation, are necessary for a reliable prediction. Both methods have relatively higher computational cost compared to the linear or second order wave theories, which are popular in routine design practices. Although the FNPT model generally requires less computational efforts compared to the NS model, its theoretical assumption, i.e. the flow is incompressible, irrotational and inviscid, invalidates its applications to those problems with significant viscous effects and/or breaking waves. It is, therefore, necessary to conduct a comparative study on the accuracy of the FNPT in various problems to quantify its range of application. In this paper, both the Quasi Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian Finite Element (QALE-FEM) method based on the FNPT model and the open source Reynolds Average Navier-Stoke (RANS) based code, OpenFOAM, are used to predict the interaction between extreme waves and a moored Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) model. The extreme waves are generated using the NewWave theory and different wave steepnesses are used. The results, including the wave runup, pressure and force on the FPSO, are compared with the corresponding experimental data obtained from the ocean basin at the COAST Laboratory, University of Plymouth. Satisfactory agreement between the numerical predictions and the experimental measurements are observed. It is also concluded that the differences between the QALE-FEM results and the OpenFOAM results are mainly caused by the effectiveness of the wave generation in the corresponding simulations; the viscous effects may be considerable in the rotational motion of the FPSO when subjected to extreme waves