Numerical Modeling of Turbulent Surface Wave Motion Using a Coupled Boundary Element-Finite Difference Technique

In this paper an effective numerical technique is presented to model turbulent motion of a standing surface wave in a tank. The equations of motion for turbulent boundary layers at the solid surfaces are coupled with the potential flow in the bulk of the fluid, and a mixed BEM-finite difference technique is used to obtain the wave and boundary layer characteristics. A mixing-length theory is used for turbulence modeling. The results are compared with previous experimental data. Although the technique is presented for a standing surface wave, it can be easily applied to other free surface problems.