Energy potential of a tidal fence deployed near a coastal headland

Enhanced tidal streams close to coastal headlands appear to present ideal locations for the deployment of tidal energy devices. In this paper, the power potential of tidal streams near an idealized coastal headland with a sloping seabed is investigated using a near-field approximation to represent a tidal fence, i.e. a row of tidal devices, in a two-dimensional depth-averaged numerical model. Simulations indicate that the power extracted by the tidal fence is limited because the flow will bypass the fence, predominantly on the ocean side, as the thrust applied by the devices increases. For the dynamic conditions, fence placements and headland aspect ratios considered, the maximum power extracted at the fence is not related in any obvious way to the local undisturbed kinetic flux or the natural rate of energy dissipation due to bed friction (although both of these have been used in the past to predict the amount of power that may be extracted). The available power (equal to the extracted power net of vertical mixing losses in the immediate wake of devices) is optimized for devices with large area and small centre-to-centre spacing within the fence. The influence of energy extraction on the natural flow field is assessed relative to changes in the M2 component of elevation and velocity, and residual bed shear stress and tidal dispersion

Modelling tidal energy extraction in a depth-averaged coastal domain

An extension of actuator disc theory is used to describe the properties of a tidal energy device, or row of tidal energy devices, within a depth-averaged numerical model. This approach allows a direct link to be made between an actual tidal device and its equivalent momentum sink in a depth-averaged domain. Extended actuator disc theory also leads to a measure of efficiency for an energy device in a tidal stream of finite Froude number, where efficiency is defined as the ratio of power extracted by one or more tidal devices to the total power removed from the tidal stream. To demonstrate the use of actuator disc theory in a depth-averaged model, tidal flow in a simple channel is approximated using the shallow water equations and the results are compared with the published analytical solutions. © 2010 © The Institution of Engineering and Technology

Investigation of granular batch sedimentation via DEM–CFD coupling

This paper presents three dimensional numerical investigations of batch sedimentation of spherical particles in water, by analyses performed by the discrete element method (DEM) coupled with computational fluid dynamics (CFD). By employing this model, the features of both mechanical and hydraulic behaviour of the fluid-solid mixture system are captured. Firstly, the DEM–CFD model is validated by the simulation of the sedimentation of a single spherical particle, for which an analytical solution is available. The numerical model can replicate accurately the settling behaviour of particles as long as the mesh size ratio (Dmesh/d) and model size ratio (W/Dmesh) are both larger than a given threshold. During granular batch sedimentation, segregation of particles is observed at different locations in the model. Coarse grains continuously accumulate at the bottom, leaving the finer grains deposited in the upper part of the granular assembly. During this process, the excess pore water pressure initially increases rapidly to a peak value, and then dissipates gradually to zero. Meanwhile, the compressibility of the sediments decreases slowly as a soil layer builds up at the bottom. Consolidation of the deposited layer is caused by the self-weight of grains, while the compressibility of the sample decreases progressively

3D DEM investigation of granular column collapse : evaluation of debris motion and its destructive power

This paper presents a numerical investigation of the behaviour of dry granular flows generated by the collapse of prismatic columns via 3D Distinct Element Method (DEM) simulations in plane strain conditions. Firstly, by means of dimensional analysis, the governing parameters of the problem are identified, and variables are clustered into dimensionless independent and dependent groups. Secondly, the results of the DEM simulations are illustrated. Different regimes of granular motion were observed depending on the initial column aspect ratio. The profiles observed at different times for columns of various aspect ratios show to be in good agreement with available experimental results. Thirdly, a detailed analysis of the way energy is dissipated by the granular flows was performed. It emerges that most of the energy of the columns is dissipated by inter-particle friction, with frictional dissipation increasing with the column aspect ratio. Also, the translational and rotational components of the kinetic energy of the flows, associated to particle rotational and translational motions respectively, were monitored during the run-out process. It is found that the rotational component is negligible in comparison with the translational one; hence in order to calculate the destructive power of a granular flow slide, only the translational contribution of the kinetic energy is relevant. Finally, a methodology is presented to calculate the flux of kinetic energy over time carried by the granular flow through any vertical section of interest. This can be related to the energy released by landslide induced granular flows impacting against engineering structures under the simplifying assumption of neglecting all structure-flow interactions. This represents the first step towards achieving a computational tool quantitatively predicting the destructive power of a given flow at any location of interest along its path. This can be useful for the design of engineering works for natural hazard mitigation. To this end, also the distribution of the linear momentum of the flow over depth was calculated. It emerges that the distribution is initially bilinear, due to the presence of an uppermost layer of particles in an agitated loose state, but after some time becomes linear. This type of analysis showcases the potential of the Distinct Element Method to investigate the phenomenology of dry granular flows and to gather unique information currently unachievable by experimentation

A new contact detection algorithm for three-dimensional non-spherical particles

A new contact detection algorithm between three-dimensional non-spherical particles in the discrete element method (DEM) is proposed. Houlsby previously proposed the concept of potential particles where an arbitrarily shaped convex particle can be defined using a 2nd degree polynomial function (Houlsby [1]). The equations in 2-D have been presented and solved using the Newton–Raphson method. Here the necessary mathematics is presented for the 3-D case, which involves non-trivial extensions from 2-D. The polynomial structure of the equations is exploited so that they are second-order cone representable. Second order-cone programmes have been established to be theoretically and practically tractable, and can be solved efficiently using primal-dual interior-point methods (Andersen et al. [13]). Several examples are included in this paper to illustrate the capability of the algorithm to model particles of various shapes

DEM modelling of a jointed rock beam with emphasis on interface properties

This paper compares analyses performed via the distinct element method (DEM), employing rigid blocks and compliant joints, with results using finite-difference software (FLAC) obtained previously by other researchers. The paper then examines the capability of the rigid-block DEM at modelling joints realistically, with emphasis on the moment transfer between blocks. The line of thrust from this analysis was found to fit well with the well-established uniform catenary curve and the parabola, which has been used extensively in the rock engineering literature. This is an important verification exercise that is still lacking in the literature, especially for the rigid-block DEM. Finally, a comparison is made between the DEM and experimental work carried out previously by other researchers. The previously reported laboratory data were reinterpreted to derive more accurate contact laws in both normal and shear directions. A strain hardening or continuously yielding model was adopted in the latter. The calibration approach is demonstrated. The numerical findings suggest that improved predictions of beam deflections can be obtained and the predicted horizontal thrusts are comparable to the results obtained by FLAC

A new rock slicing method based on linear programming

One of the important pre-processing stages in the analysis of jointed rock masses is the identification of rock blocks from discontinuities in the field. In 3D, the identification of polyhedral blocks usually involve tedious housekeeping algorithms, because one needs to establish their vertices, edges and faces, together with a hierarchical data structure: edges by pairs of vertices, faces by bounding edges, polyhedron by bounding faces. In this paper, we present a novel rock slicing method, based on the subdivision approach and linear programming optimisation, which requires only a single level of data structure rather than the current 2 or 3 levels presented in the literature. This method exploits the novel mathematical framework for contact detection introduced in Boon et al. (2012). In the proposed method, it is not necessary to calculate the intersections between a discontinuity and the block faces, because information on the block vertices and edges is not needed. The use of a simpler data structure presents obvious advantages in terms of code development, robustness and ease of maintenance. Non-persistent joints are also introduced in a novel way within the framework of linear programming. Advantages and disadvantages of the proposed modelling of non-persistent joints are discussed in this paper. Concave blocks are generated using established methods in the sequential subdivision approach, i.e. through fictitious joints

Contributions to Foundation Engineering in Geotechnique

Many of the important developments in the field of foundation engineering have been addressed in Géotechnique papers over the past 60 years. This paper briefly reviews some of these developments and related articles, particularly with respect to shallow and deep foundations. In the early days of Géotechnique, the power to perform sophisticated numerical analyses did not exist. Papers tended to focus on the solution of problems using simple models in which soil was modelled either as linear elastic or as perfectly plastic. Engineers sought simple closed-form analytical solutions for boundary-value problems. With the development of more powerful analytical, computational and experimental capabilities, and of more sophisticated pile installation technology (especially offshore), more recent papers have explored much more sophisticated approaches to a range of foundation problems, striving to achieve more realistic representation of working conditions. Géotechnique papers have attempted to solve the problems faced by the foundation engineering industry, with a strong emphasis on the underlying science; as a result, these papers have played a key role in the advancement of both the science and its applications in our discipline