Showing papers in "China Ocean Engineering in 2014"

A new method of combination of electroosmosis, vacuum and surcharge preloading for soft ground improvement

Abstract: As a rapid and effective ground improvement method is urgently required for the booming land reclamation in China’s coastal area, this study proposes a new combined method of electroosmosis, vacuum preloading and surcharge preloading. A new type of electrical prefabricated vertical drain (ePVD) and a new electroosmotic drainage system are suggested to allow the application of the new method. This combined method is then field-tested and compared with the conventional vacuum combined with surcharge preloading method. The monitoring and foundation test results show that the new method induces a settlement 20% larger than that of the conventional vacuum combined with surcharge preloading method in the same treatment period, and saves approximately half of the treatment time compared with the vacuum combined with surcharge preloading method according to the finite element prediction of the settlement. The proposed method also increases the vane shear strength of the soil significantly. The bearing capacity of the ground improved by use of the new proposed method raises 118%. In comparison, there is only a 75% rise when using the vacuum combined with surcharge preloading method during the same reinforcement period. All results indicate that the proposed combined method is effective and suitable for reinforcing the soft clay ground. Besides, the voltage applied between the anode and cathode increases exponentially versus treatment time when the output current of power supplies is kept constant. Most of the voltage potential in electroosmosis is lost at electrodes, leaving smaller than 50% of the voltage to be effectively transmitted into the soil.

Behavior of unbonded flexible risers subject to axial tension

Abstract: Owing to nonlinear contact problems with slip and friction, a lot of limiting assumptions are made when developing analytical models to simulate the behavior of an unbonded flexible riser. Meanwhile, in order to avoid convergence problems and excessive calculating time associated with running the detailed finite element (FE) model of an unbonded flexible riser, interlocked carcass and zeta layers with complicated cross section shapes are replaced by simple geometrical shapes (e.g. hollow cylindrical shell) with equivalent orthotropic materials. But the simplified model does not imply the stresses equivalence of these two layers. To solve these problems, based on ABAQUS/Explicit, a numerical method that is suitable for the detailed FE model is proposed. In consideration of interaction among all component layers, the axial stiffness of an eight-layer unbonded flexible riser subjected to axial tension is predicted. Compared with analytical and experimental results, it is shown that the proposed numerical method not only has high accuracy but also can substantially reduce the calculating time. In addition, the impact of the lay angle of helical tendons on axial stiffness is discussed.

Wave characteristics at the south part of the radial sand ridges of the Southern Yellow Sea

Abstract: Based on one-year wave field data measured at the south part of the radial sand ridges of the Southern Yellow Sea, the wave statistical characteristics, wave spectrum and wave group properties are analyzed. The results show that the significant wave height (H1/3) varies from 0.15 to 2.22 m with the average of 0.59 m and the mean wave period (Tmean) varies from 2.06 to 6.82 s with the average of 3.71 s. The percentage of single peak in the wave spectra is 88.6 during the measurement period, in which 36.3% of the waves are pure wind waves and the rest are young swells. The percentage with the significant wave height larger than 1 m is 12.4. The dominant wave directions in the study area are WNW, W, ESE, E and NW. The relationships among the characteristic wave heights, the characteristic wave periods, and the wave spectral parameters are identified. It is found that the tentative spectral model is suitable for the quantitative description of the wave spectrum in the study area, while the run lengths of the wave group estimated from the measured data are generally larger than those in other sea areas.

Design of a hydraulic power take-off system for the wave energy device with an inverse pendulum

Abstract: This paper describes a dual-stroke acting hydraulic power take-off (PTO) system employed in the wave energy converter (WEC) with an inverse pendulum. The hydraulic PTO converts slow irregular reciprocating wave motions to relatively smooth, fast rotation of an electrical generator. The design of the hydraulic PTO system and its control are critical to maximize the generated power. A time domain simulation study and the laboratory experiment of the full-scale beach test are presented. The results of the simulation and laboratory experiments including their comparison at full-scale are also presented, which have validated the rationality of the design and the reliability of some key components of the prototype of the WEC with an inverse pendulum with the dual-stroke acting hydraulic PTO system.

Multi-fault diagnosis for autonomous underwater vehicle based on fuzzy weighted support vector domain description

Abstract: This paper addresses the multi-fault diagnosis problem of thrusters and sensors for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Traditional support vector domain description (SVDD) has low classification accuracy in the process of AUV multi-fault pattern classification because of the effect of sample sparse density and the uneven distribution of samples, and so on. Thus, a fuzzy weighted support vector domain description (FWSVDD) method based on positive and negative class samples is proposed. In this method, the negative class sample is introduced during classifier training, and the local density and the class weight are introduced for each sample. To improve the multi-fault pattern classifier training speed and fault diagnosis accuracy of FWSVDD, a multi-fault mode classification method based on a hierarchical strategy is proposed. This method adds fault contain detection surface for each thruster and sensor to isolate fault components during fault diagnosis. By considering the problem of pattern classification for a fuzzy sample, which may be located in the overlapping area of hyper-spheres or may not belong to any hyper-sphere in the process of multi-fault classification based on FWSVDD, a relative distance judgment method is given. The effectiveness of the proposed multi-fault diagnosis approach is demonstrated through water tank experiments with an experimental AUV prototype.

Numerical study on the effect of submerged depth on the horizontal plate wave energy converter

Abstract: The growing search for clean and renewable energy sources has given rise to the studies of exploring sea wave energy. This paper is concerned with the numerical evaluation of the main operational principle of a submerged plate employed for the conversion of wave energy into electrical one. The numerical model used to solve the conservation equations of mass, momentum and transport of volume fraction is based on the finite volume method (FVM). In order to tackle with the flow of mixture of air-water and its interaction with the device, the multiphase model volume of fluid (VOF) is employed. The purpose of this study is the evaluation of a numerical model for improvement of the knowledge about the submerged plate wave energy converter, as well as the investigation of the effect of the distance from the plate to the bottom of the sea (H P) on the performance of the converter. The simulations for several distances of the plate from the seabed show that the optimal efficiency is 64%, which is obtained for H P=0.53 m (88% of the depth). This efficiency is 17% larger than that found in the worst case (H P=0.46 m, 77% of the depth).

Opposition-based firefly algorithm for earth slope stability evaluation

Abstract: This paper introduces a new approach of firefly algorithm based on opposition-based learning (OBFA) to enhance the global search ability of the original algorithm. The new algorithm employs opposition based learning concept to generate initial population and also updating agents’ positions. The proposed OBFA is applied for minimization of the factor of safety and search for critical failure surface in slope stability analysis. The numerical experiments demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the new algorithm.

Response of skirted suction caissons to monotonic lateral loading in saturated medium sand

Abstract: Monotonic lateral load model tests were carried out on steel skirted suction caissons embedded in the saturated medium sand to study the bearing capacity. A three-dimensional continuum finite element model was developed with Z_SOIL software. The numerical model was calibrated against experimental results. Soil deformation and earth pressures on skirted caissons were investigated by using the finite element model to extend the model tests. It shows that the “skirted” structure can significantly increase the lateral capacity and limit the deflection, especially suitable for offshore wind turbines, compared with regular suction caissons without the “skirted” at the same load level. In addition, appropriate determination of rotation centers plays a crucial role in calculating the lateral capacity by using the analytical method. It was also found that the rotation center is related to dimensions of skirted suction caissons and loading process, i.e. the rotation center moves upwards with the increase of the “skirted” width and length; moreover, the rotation center moves downwards with the increase of loading and keeps constant when all the sand along the caisson’s wall yields. It is so complex that we cannot simply determine its position like the regular suction caisson commonly with a specified position to the length ratio of the caisson.

Nozzle optimization for water jet propulsion with a positive displacement pump

Abstract: In the water jet propulsion system with a positive displacement (PD) pump, the nozzle, which converts pressure energy into kinetic energy, is one of the key parts exerting great influence on the reactive thrust and the efficiency of the system due to its high working pressure and easily occurring cavitation characteristics. Based on the previous studies of the energy loss and the pressure distribution of different nozzles, a model of water jet reactive thrust, which fully takes the energy loss and the nozzle parameters into consideration, is developed to optimize the nozzle design. Experiments and simulations are carried out to investigate the reactive thrust and the conversion efficiency of cylindrical nozzles, conical nozzles and optimized nozzles. The results show that the optimized nozzles have the largest reactive thrust and the highest energy conversion efficiency under the same inlet conditions. The related methods and conclusions are extended to the study of other applications of the water jet, such as water jet cutting, water mist fire suppression, water injection molding.

Blind equalization based on RLS algorithm using adaptive forgetting factor for underwater acoustic channel

Abstract: Blind equalization based on adaptive forgetting factor, recursive least squares (RLS) with constant modulus algorithm (CMA), is investigated. The cost function of CMA is simplified to meet the second norm form to ensure the stability of RLS-CMA, and thus an improved RLS-CMA (RLS-SCMA) is established. To further improve its performance, a new adaptive forgetting factor RLS-SCMA (ARLS-SCMA) is proposed. In ARLS-SCMA, the forgetting factor varies with the output error of the blind equalizer during the iterative process, which leads to a faster convergence rate and a smaller steady-state error. The simulation results prove the effectiveness under the condition of the underwater acoustic channel.

Calculation and experiment for dynamic response of bridge in deep water under seismic excitation

Abstract: The fluid-structure interaction under seismic excitation is very complicated, and thus the damage identification of the bridge in deep water is the key technique to ensure the safe service. Based on nonlinear Morison equation considering the added mass effect and the fluid-structure interaction effect, the effect of hydrodynamic pressure on the structure is analyzed. A series of underwater shaking table tests are conducted in the air and in water. The dynamic characteristics affected by hydrodynamic pressure are discussed and the distribution of hydrodynamic pressure is also analyzed. In addition, the damage of structure is distinguished through the natural frequency and the difference of modal curvature, and is then compared with the test results. The numerical simulation and test of this study indicate that the effect of hydrodynamic pressure on the structure should not be neglected. It is also found that the presence of the damage, the location of the damage and the degree of the severity can be judged through the variation of structure frequency and the difference of modal curvature.

Domain decomposition and matching for time-domain analysis of motions of ships advancing in head sea

Abstract: A domain decomposition and matching method in the time-domain is outlined for simulating the motions of ships advancing in waves. The flow field is decomposed into inner and outer domains by an imaginary control surface, and the Rankine source method is applied to the inner domain while the transient Green function method is used in the outer domain. Two initial boundary value problems are matched on the control surface. The corresponding numerical codes are developed, and the added masses, wave exciting forces and ship motions advancing in head sea for Series 60 ship and S175 containership, are presented and verified. A good agreement has been obtained when the numerical results are compared with the experimental data and other references. It shows that the present method is more efficient because of the panel discretization only in the inner domain during the numerical calculation, and good numerical stability is proved to avoid divergence problem regarding ships with flare.

Field observation and analysis of wave-current-sediment movement in Caofeidian Sea area in the Bohai Bay, China

Abstract: In order to study the mechanism of flow-sediment movement, it is essential to obtain measured data of water hydrodynamic and sediment concentration process with high spatial and temporal resolution in the bottom boundary layer (BBL). Field observations were carried out in the northwest Caofeidian sea area in the Bohai Bay. Near 2 m isobath (under the lowest tidal level), a tripod system was installed with AWAC (Acoustic Wave And Current), ADCP (Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers), OBS-3A (Optical Backscatter Point Sensor), ADV (Acoustic Doppler Velocimeters), etc. The accurate measurement of the bottom boundary layer during a single tidal period was carried out, together with a long-term sediment concentration measurement under different hydrological conditions. All the measured data were used to analyze the characteristics of wave-current-sediment movement and the BBL. Analysis was performed on flow structure, shear stress, roughness, eddy viscosity and other parameters of the BBL. Two major findings were made. Firstly, from the measured data, the three-layer distribution model of the velocity profiles and eddy viscosities in the wave-current BBL are proposed in the observed sea area; secondly, the sediment movement is related closely to wind-waves in the muddy coast area where sediment is clayey silt: 1) The observed suspended sediment concentration under light wind conditions is very low, with the peak value generally smaller than 0.1 kg/m3 and the average value being 0.03 kg/m3; 2) The sediment concentration increases continuously under the gales over 6–7 in Beaufort scale, under a sustained wind action. The measured peak sediment concentration at 0.4 m above the seabed is 0.15–0.32 kg/m3, and the average sediment concentration during wind-wave action is 0.08–0.18 kg/m3, which is about 3–6 times the value under light wind conditions. The critical wave height signaling remarkable changes of sediment concentration is 0.5 m. The results show that the suspended load sediment concentration is mainly influenced by wave-induced sediment suspension.

Research on the unsteady hydrodynamic characteristics of vertical axis tidal turbine

Abstract: The unsteady hydrodynamic characteristics of vertical axis tidal turbine are investigated by numerical simulation based on viscous CFD method. The starting mechanism of the turbine is revealed through analyzing the interaction of its motion and dynamics during starting process. The operating hydrodynamic characteristics of the turbine in wave-current condition are also explored by combining with the linear wave theory. According to possible magnification of the cyclic loads in the maximum power tracking control of vertical axis turbine, a novel torque control strategy is put forward, which can improve the structural characteristics significantly without effecting energy efficiency.

Optimal design of equivalent water depth truncated mooring system based on baton pattern simulated annealing algorithm

Abstract: The highest similarity degree of static characteristics including both horizontal and vertical restoring force-displacement characteristics of total mooring system, as well as the tension-displacement characteristics of the representative single mooring line between the truncated and full depth system are obtained by annealing simulation algorithm for hybrid discrete variables (ASFHDV, in short). A “baton” optimization approach is proposed by utilizing ASFHDV. After each baton of optimization, if a few dimensional variables reach the upper or lower limit, the boundary of certain dimensional variables shall be expanded. In consideration of the experimental requirements, the length of the upper mooring line should not be smaller than 8 m, and the diameter of the anchor chain on the bottom should be larger than 0.03 m. A 100000 t turret mooring FPSO in the water depth of 304 m, with the truncated water depth being 76 m, is taken as an example of equivalent water depth truncated mooring system optimal design and calculation, and is performed to obtain the conformation parameters of the truncated mooring system. The numerical results indicate that the present truncated mooring system design is successful and effective.

Research on energy conversion system of floating wave energy converter

Abstract: A wave power device includes an energy harvesting system and a power take-off system. The power take-off system of a floating wave energy device is the key that converts wave energy into other forms. A set of hydraulic power take-off system, which suits for the floating wave energy devices, includes hydraulic system and power generation system. The hydraulic control system uses a special “self-hydraulic control system” to control hydraulic system to release or save energy under the maximum and the minimum pressures. The maximum pressure is enhanced to 23 MPa, the minimum to 9 MPa. Quite a few experiments show that the recent hydraulic system is evidently improved in efficiency and reliability than our previous one, that is expected to be great significant in the research and development of our prototype about wave energy conversion.

Dynamics of large-truncated mooring systems coupled with a catenary moored semi-submersible

Abstract: With the floating structures pushing their activities to the ultra-deep water, model tests have presented a challenge due to the limitation of the existing wave basins. Therefore, the concept of truncated mooring system is implemented to replace the full depth mooring system in the model tests, which aims to have the same dynamic responses as the full depth system. The truncated mooring system plays such a significant role that extra attention should be paid to the mooring systems with large truncation factor. Three different types of large truncation factor mooring system are being employed in the simulations, including the homogenously truncated mooring system, non-homogenously truncated mooring system and simplified truncated mooring system. A catenary moored semi-submersible operating at 1000 m water depth is presented. In addition, truncated mooring systems are proposed at the truncated water depth of 200 m. In order to explore the applicability of these truncated mooring systems, numerical simulations of the platform’s surge free decay interacting with three different styles of truncated mooring systems are studied in calm water. Furthermore, the mooring-induced damping of the truncated mooring systems is simulated in the regular wave. Finally, the platform motion responses and mooring line dynamics are simulated in irregular wave. All these simulations are implemented by employing full time domain coupled dynamic analysis, and the results are compared with those of the full depth simulations in the same cases. The results show that the mooring-induced damping plays a significant role in platform motion responses, and all truncated mooring systems are suitable for model tests with appropriate truncated mooring line diameters. However, a large diameter is needed for simplified truncated mooring lines. The suggestions are given to the selection of truncated mooring system for different situations as well as to the truncated mooring design criteria.

Tensile stiffness analysis on ocean dynamic power umbilical

Abstract: Tensile stiffness of ocean dynamic power umbilical is an important design parameter for functional implementation and structural safety. A column with radial stiffness which is wound by helical steel wires is constructed to predict the tensile stiffness value of umbilicals in the paper. The relationship between the tension and axial deformation is expressed analytically so the radial contraction of the column is achieved in the relationship by use of a simple finite element method. With an agreement between the theoretical prediction and the tension test results, the method is proved to be simple and efficient for the estimation of tensile stiffness of the ocean dynamic power umbilical.

Higher harmonics induced by waves propagating over a submerged obstacle in the presence of uniform current

Abstract: To investigate higher harmonics induced by a submerged obstacle in the presence of uniform current, a 2D fully nonlinear numerical wave flume (NWF) is developed by use of a time-domain higher-order boundary element method (HOBEM) based on potential flow theory. A four-point method is developed to decompose higher bound and free harmonic waves propagating upstream and downstream around the obstacle. The model predictions are in good agreement with the experimental data for free harmonics induced by a submerged horizontal cylinder in the absence of currents. This serves as a benchmark to reveal the current effects on higher harmonic waves. The peak value of non-dimensional second free harmonic amplitude is shifted upstream for the opposing current relative to that for zero current with the variation of current-free incident wave amplitude, and it is vice versa for the following current. The second-order analysis shows a resonant behavior which is related to the ratio of the cylinder diameter to the second bound mode wavelength over the cylinder. The second-order resonant position slightly downshifted for the opposing current and upshifted for the following current.

Critical Top Tension for Static Equilibrium Configuration of a Steel Catenary Riser

Abstract: This paper aims to present the critical top tension for static equilibrium configurations of a steel catenary riser (SCR) by using the finite element method. The critical top tension is the minimum top tension that can maintain the equilibrium of the SCR. If the top tension is smaller than the critical value, the equilibrium of the SCR does not exist. If the top tension is larger than the critical value, there are two possible equilibrium configurations. These two configurations exhibit the nonlinear large displacement. The configuration with the smaller displacement is stable, while the one with larger displacement is unstable. The numerical results show that the increases in the riser’s vertical distances, horizontal offsets, riser’s weights, internal flow velocities, and current velocities increase the critical top tensions of the SCR. In addition, the parametric studies are also performed in order to investigate the limit states for the analysis and design of the SCR.

Comparative study of different SPH schemes on simulating violent water wave impact flows

Abstract: Free surface flows are of significant interest in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). However, violent water wave impact simulation especially when free surface breaks or impacts on solid wall can be a big challenge for many CFD techniques. Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) has been reported as a robust and reliable method for simulating violent free surface flows. Weakly compressible SPH (WCSPH) uses an equation of state with a large sound speed, and the results of the WCSPH can induce a noisy pressure field and spurious oscillation of pressure in time history for wave impact problem simulation. As a remedy, the truly incompressible SPH (ISPH) technique was introduced, which uses a pressure Poisson equation to calculate the pressure. Although the pressure distribution in the whole field obtained by ISPH is smooth, the stability of the techniques is still an open discussion. In this paper, a new free surface identification scheme and solid boundary handling method are introduced to improve the accuracy of ISPH. This modified ISPH is used to study dam breaking flow and violent tank sloshing flows. On the comparative study of WCSPH and ISPH, the accuracy and efficiency are assessed and the results are compared with the experimental data.

Hydrodynamic performance of the arc-shaped bottom-mounted breakwater

Abstract: The problem of the hydrodynamic interaction with the arc-shaped bottom-mounted breakwaters is investigated theoretically. The breakwater is assumed to be rigid, thin, impermeable and vertically located in a finite water depth. The fluid domain is divided into two sub-regions of inner and outer by an auxiliary circular interface. Linear theory is assumed and the eigenfunction expansion approach is used to determine the wave field. In order to examine the validity of the theoretical model, the analytical solutions are compared to agree well with published results with the same parameters. Numerical results including wave amplitude, surge pressure, and wave force are presented with different model parameters. The major factors including wave parameters, structure configuration, and water depth that affect the surge pressure, wave forces, and wave amplitudes are discussed and illustrated by some graphs and cloud maps.

Consolidation and creep behaviors of two typical marine clays in China

Abstract: This paper presents an experimental investigation into the deformation characteristics of two typical marine clays obtained from Dalian and Shanghai, respectively, in China. Three kinds of laboratory tests, i.e. conventional oedometer tests, one-dimensional and triaxial creep tests were carried out. The results obtained from consolidation tests demonstrate linear e−logσ v relationships for Shanghai clay at normally consolidated state, while partly or even global non-linear relationships for Dalian clay. The compression index C c for both clays follows the correlation of C c = 0.009(w L −10) where w L is the liquid limit of soil. The relationship between logk v (k v is the hydraulic conductivity of soil) and void ratio e is generally linear and the hydraulic conductivity change index $$C_{k_v }$$ can be described by their initial void ratio for both clays. The secondary compressibility of Dalian clay lies in medium to high range and is higher than that of Shanghai clay which lies in the range of low to medium. Furthermore, based on drained triaxial creep tests, the stress-strain-time relationships following Mesri’s creep equation have been developed for Dalian and Shanghai clays which can predict the long-term deformation of both clays reasonably well.

Optimum design and global analysis of flexible jumper for an innovative subsurface production system in ultra-deep water

Abstract: The study focuses on the flexible jumper issue of Subsurface Tension Leg Production (STLP) system concept, which is considered as a competing alternative system to support well completion devices and rigid risers in ultra-deep water for offshore petroleum production. The paper presents analytical and numerical approaches for the optimum design and global analysis of the flexible jumper. Criteria using catenary concept are developed to define the critical length for optimum design. Based on the criteria, detailed hydrodynamic analyses including quasi-static analysis, modal analysis, and dynamic analysis are performed. Modal analysis with respect to the quasi-static analysis shows that the existence of resonant modes requires special consideration. The results of dynamic analysis confirm the effectiveness of the de-coupled effect from the jumper on STLP system. The approaches developed in the study also have wide application prospect in reference to the optimum design and analysis of any Hybrid Riser (HR) concept.

Scenarios of local tsunamis in the China Seas by Boussinesq model

Abstract: The Okinawa Trench in the East China Sea and the Manila Trench in the South China Sea are considered to be the regions with high risk of potential tsunamis induced by submarine earthquakes. Tsunami waves will impact the southeast coast of China if tsunamis occur in these areas. In this paper, the horizontal two-dimensional Boussinesq model is used to simulate tsunami generation, propagation, and runup in a domain with complex geometrical boundaries. The temporary varying bottom boundary condition is adopted to describe the initial tsunami waves motivated by the submarine faults. The Indian Ocean tsunami is simulated by the numerical model as a validation case. The time series of water elevation and runup on the beach are compared with the measured data from field survey. The agreements indicate that the Boussinesq model can be used to simulate tsunamis and predict the waveform and runup. Then, the hypothetical tsunamis in the Okinawa Trench and the Manila Trench are simulated by the numerical model. The arrival time and maximum wave height near coastal cities are predicted by the model. It turns out that the leading depression N-wave occurs when the tsunami propagates in the continental shelf from the Okinawa Trench. The scenarios of the tsunami in the Manila Trench demonstrate significant effects on the coastal area around the South China Sea.

Numerical prediction of hydrodynamic forces on a ship passing through a lock

Abstract: While passing through a lock, a ship usually undergoes a steady forward motion at low speed. Owing to the size restriction of lock chamber, the shallow water and bank effects on the hydrodynamic forces acting on the ship may be remarkable, which may have an adverse effect on navigation safety. However, the complicated hydrodynamics is not yet fully understood. This paper focuses on the hydrodynamic forces acting on a ship passing through a lock. The unsteady viscous flow and hydrodynamic forces are calculated by applying an unsteady RANS code with a RNG k-ɛ turbulence model. User-defined function (UDF) is compiled to define the ship motion. Meanwhile, the grid regeneration is dealt with by using the dynamic mesh method and sliding interface technique. Numerical study is carried out for a bulk carrier ship passing through the Pierre Vandamme Lock in Zeebrugge at the model scale. The proposed method is validated by comparing the numerical results with the data of captive model tests. By analyzing the numerical results obtained at different speeds, water depths and eccentricities, the influences of speed, water depth and eccentricity on the hydrodynamic forces are illustrated. The numerical method proposed in this paper can qualitatively predict the ship-lock hydrodynamic interaction. It can provide certain guidance on the manoeuvring and control of ships passing through a lock.

Experimental study on bubble pulse features under the combined action of horizontal and vertical walls

Abstract: The pulse features of a bubble have a close connection with the boundary condition. When a bubble moves near a rigid wall, it will be attracted by the Bjerknes force of the wall, and a jet pointing at the wall will be generated. In real application, the bubble may move under the combined action of walls in different directions when it forms at the corner of a pipe or at the bottom of a dam. The motion of the bubble shows complex and nonlinear characteristics under these conditions. In order to investigate the bubble pulse features near complex walls, a horizontal wall and a vertical wall are put into the experimental water tank synchronously, and an electric circuit with 200 voltages is designed to generate discharge bubbles, and then experimental study on the bubble pulse features under the combined action of horizontal and vertical walls is carried out. The influences of the combined action of two walls on the bubble shape, pulse period, moving trace and inside jet are obtained by changing the distances from bubble center to the two walls. It aims at providing references for the relevant theoretical and numerical research.

Numerical simulation and dynamical analysis for low salinity water lens in the expansion area of the Changjiang diluted water

Abstract: The low salinity water lenses (LSWLes) in the expansion area of the Changjiang diluted water (CDW) exist in a certain period of time in some years. The impact of realistic river runoff, ocean currents and weather conditions need to be taken into account in the dynamical analysis of LSWL, which is in need of research. In this paper, the POM-σ-z model is used to set up the numerical model for the expansion of the CDW. Then LSWL in summer 1977 is simulated, and its dynamic mechanism driven by wind, tide, river runoff and the Taiwan Warm Current is also analyzed. The simulated results indicate that the isolated LSWL detaches itself from the CDW near the river mouth, and then moves towards the northeast region outside the Changjiang Estuary. Its maintaining period is from July 26 to August 11. Its formation and development is mainly driven by two factors. One is the strong southeasterly wind lasting for ten days. The other is the vertical tidal mixing during the transition from neap tide to spring tide.

Laboratory generation of solitary waves: An inversion technique to improve available methods

Abstract: Solitary waves are often used in laboratory experiments to study tsunamis propagation and interaction with coasts. However, the experimental shape of the waves may differ from the theoretical one. In this paper, a correction technique aiming at minimizing the discrepancies between the two profiles is presented. Laboratory experiments reveal their effectiveness in correcting the experimental shape of solitary waves, mainly for low nonlinearities.

Risk analysis and assessment of overtopping concerning sea dikes in the case of storm surge

Abstract: Risk analysis and assessment relating coastal structures has been one of the hot topics in the area of coastal protection recently. In this paper, from three aspects of joint return period of multiple loads, dike failure rate and dike continuous risk prevention respectively, three new risk analysis methods concerning overtopping of sea dikes are developed. It is worth noting that the factors of storm surge which leads to overtopping are also considered in the three methods. In order to verify and estimate the effectiveness and reliability of the newly developed methods, quantified mutual information is adopted. By means of case testing, it can be found that different prior variables might be selected dividedly, according to the requirement of special engineering application or the dominance of loads. Based on the selection of prior variables, the correlating risk analysis method can be successfully applied to practical engineering.