Wave flume

About: Wave flume is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1627 publications have been published within this topic receiving 23335 citations.

Numerical prediction of solitary wave forces on a typical coastal bridge deck with girders

Abstract: In this study, a numerical method for predicting solitary wave forces on a typical coastal bridge deck with girders is utilised in order to obtain an alternative way to assess solitary wave forces on coastal bridge decks with sufficient accuracy. Firstly, a wave model based on the solitary wave theory representing the incident wave of tsunamis is applied through a computational fluid dynamics computer program, where the shear stress transport k-ω model is adopted as the turbulent closure for the Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes model equations. Then, the numerical wave profiles and the predicted wave forces are compared with the analytical solutions and the reported laboratory measurements, respectively. These verifications assure the results in the following parametric study reliable. Finally, comparisons between the numerical results and those acquired through the empirical methods are conducted in order to examine the appropriateness of these empirical procedures regarding this specific case. Fu...

Suspended sand transport in surf zones

Abstract: [1] Three tests were conducted in a wave flume to investigate time-averaged suspended sediment transport processes under irregular breaking waves on equilibrium beaches consisting of fine sand. Free surface elevations were measured at ten locations for each test. Velocities and concentrations were measured in the vicinity of the bottom at 94 elevations along 17 vertical lines. The relations among the three turbulent velocity variances are found to be similar to those for the boundary layer flow. The vertical variation of the mean velocity, which causes offshore transport, is fitted by a parabolic profile fairly well. The vertical variation of the mean concentration is fitted by the exponential and power-form distributions equally well. The ratio between the concentration standard deviation σC and the mean varies little vertically. The correlation coefficient γUC between the horizontal velocity and concentration, which results in onshore transport, is of the order of 0.1 and decreases upward linearly. The offshore and onshore transport rates of suspended sediment are estimated and expressed in terms of the suspended sediment volume per unit area. A time-averaged numerical model is developed to predict as well as the mean and standard deviation of the free surface elevation and horizontal velocity. The bottom slope effect on the wave energy dissipation rate DB due to wave breaking is included in the model. The computation can be made well above the still water shoreline with no numerical difficulty. Reflected waves from the shoreline are estimated from the wave energy flux remaining at the shoreline. The numerical model is in agreement with the statistical data except that the undertow current is difficult to predict accurately. The measured turbulent velocities are found to be more related to the turbulent velocity estimated from the energy dissipation rate Df due to bottom friction. The suspended sediment volume expressed in terms of DB and Df can be predicted only within a factor of about 2. The roller effect represented by the roller volume flux does not necessarily improve the agreement for the three tests.