A convergence study simulating regular waves using the k-ω SST turbulence model in OpenFOAM®

Abstract

OpenFOAM® has been widely used in coastal engineering to visualise and analyse wave-structure interaction and evaluate the effectiveness of innovative coastal protection structures. To study the influence of an eco-retrofitted seawall on the wave overtopping process, a 2D numerical wave tank with a k-ω SST turbulence model is developed to recreate previously completed experiments. Results of wave structure interactions at a plain vertical seawall subjected to regular waves using OpenFOAM® are presented, considering various configurations of time steps and grid resolutions. Both deep water (near the wave maker) and shallow water (near the structure) wave structure interactions are analysed. Results indicate that a finer mesh density is required in shallow water regions compared with deep water regions due to the dynamics of the wave-breaking process in the wave reflection area. Results also indicate that mesh density has a more significant influence than the time step. Overall, this paper showcases the entire process of establishing two-phase flow CFD (computational fluid dynamics) simulations in OpenFOAM® and provides a reference model for future research on studying the effectiveness of eco-retrofitting approaches on wave attenuation.