Devolder, B.

Mol, A.

Rauwoens, P.

Open Marine Archive

104 
Poster presentation Competition poster 
Hydrodynamic modelling of wave-structure interaction processes using 
OpenFOAM  
Devolder Brecht1, Mol Arjan2 and Rauwoens Pieter1 
1  KU Leuven, Departement Burgerlijke Bouwkunde (KULeuven-BWK), Kasteelpark Arenberg 40 
(bus 2448), 3001 Heverlee, Belgium 
 E-mail: brecht.devolder@kuleuven.be 
2  Dredging, Environmental & Marine Engineering NV (DEME), Haven 1025 - Scheldedijk 30, 2070 
Zwijndrecht, Belgium 
 
Numerical tools such as boundary element methods based on linear potential flow theory are 
frequently used for simulating floating structures: wave energy converters or dredging and 
offshore installation vessels for example. At this moment, non-linear viscous models such as the 
open source computational fluid dynamics (CFD) toolbox OpenFOAM are very popular amongst 
academic researchers. During the last years, the marine industry is showing an increasing 
interest in using CFD models for designing structures or optimising installation processes. 
 
The PhD work of Brecht Devolder [1] is an academic example of recent developments in 
OpenFOAM for the marine, offshore and coastal engineering sectors. Fundamental research and 
thorough modelling resulted in (i) more accurate results by developing and implementing 
enhanced turbulence models for two-phase free surface flows [2,3] and (ii) accelerated 
simulations by developing a novel coupling algorithm between the motion of a floating 
structure and the flow field around it [4]. This coupled model is applied, for the first time ever, 
to simulate an array of nine individual heaving point absorber wave energy converters 
subjected to regular waves [5]. 
 
Currently, a research project is running between KU Leuven (campus Bruges) and the DEME 
group, and focusses on CFD simulations of realistic floating structures using OpenFOAM. Further 
developments are related to the use of overset meshes, multiple degrees of freedom motions, 
mooring lines and combined wave-current simulations. All the developments presented need 
thorough verification and validation and are required to open up the possibility to perform CFD 
simulations of any coastal and offshore structure with reasonable calculation times or to 
optimise their design and efficiency. 
 
References  
[1]  Devolder B. Hydrodynamic Modelling of Wave Energy Converter Arrays. PhD thesis, Ghent 
University and KU Leuven, 2018. 
[2]  Devolder B, Rauwoens P, Troch P. Application of a buoyancy-modified k-ω SST turbulence 
model to simulate wave run-up around a monopile subjected to regular waves using 
OpenFOAM®. Coast Eng 2017;125:81–94. doi:10.1016/j.coastaleng.2017.04.004. 
[3]  Devolder B, Troch P, Rauwoens P. Performance of a buoyancy-modified k-ω and k-ω SST 
turbulence model for simulating wave breaking under regular waves using OpenFOAM®. 
Coast Eng 2018;138:49–65. doi:10.1016/j.coastaleng.2018.04.011. 
[4]  Devolder B, Troch P, Rauwoens P. Accelerated numerical simulations of a heaving floating 
body by coupling a motion solver with a two-phase fluid solver. Comput Math with Appl 2018. 
doi:10.1016/j.camwa.2018.08.064. 
[5]    Devolder B, Stratigaki V, Troch P, Rauwoens P. CFD Simulations of Floating Point Absorber 
Wave Energy Converter Arrays Subjected to Regular Waves. Energies 2018;11:641. 
doi:10.3390/en11030641. 
 
 
105 
Acknowledgement 
Brecht Devolder is postdoctoral researcher at the department of civil engineering at KU Leuven, 
campus Bruges. His two years research project is a collaboration between KU Leuven and DEME 
and is funded by the agency Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO) and DEME. 
 
Keywords: Numerical modelling; CFD; OpenFOAM; Floating structures 
  


Hydrodynamic modelling of wave-structure interaction processes using OpenFOAM

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Hydrodynamic modelling of wave-structure interaction processes using OpenFOAM

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