Development of a CFD Simulation Method for Extreme Wave and Structure Interactions

A robust Volume of Fluid (VOF) technique is presented together with an incompressible Euler/Navier Stokes solver operating on adaptive, unstructured grids to simulate the interactions of extreme waves and three-dimensional structures. The incompressible Euler/Navier Stokes equations are solved using projection schemes and a finite element method. The classic dam-break problem has been used to validate the computer code developed based on the method described above. The numerical simulations of a three dimensional dam-break wave interacting with a single cylinder and a cylinder array have been carried out. Computational results have demonstrated that the present CFD method is capable of simulating the interactions of extreme waves and three-dimensional structures, which are of great importance for the comprehension of many natural phenomena in marine, coastal and marine engineering.