Progress on Nonlinear-Wave-Forced Sediment Transport Simulation

Abstract—In this paper, we report on the use of a numerical wave tank (NWT), based on fully nonlinear potential flow (FNPF) equations, in driving simulations of flow and sediment transport around partially buried obstacles. The suspended sediment transport is modeled in the near-field in a Navier–Stokes (NS) model using an immersed-boundary method and an attached sediment transport simulation module. Turbulence is represented by large eddy simulation (LES). The NWT is based on a higher order boundary element method (BEM), with an explicit second-order time stepping. Hence, only the NWT boundary is discretized. The solution for the velocity potential and its derivatives along the boundary is obtained in the BEM, which subsequently provides a solution at any required internal point within the domain. At initial time, the NS–LES model domain is initialized with the 3-D velocity field provided by the NWT and driven for later time by the pressure gradient field obtained in the NWT. Incident wave fields, as specified in the NWT to drive sediment transport, can be arbitrary. Applications are presented here for single frequency waves, such as produced by a harmonic piston wavemaker in the laboratory, and modulated frequency wave groups. The feasibility of coupling the irrotational flow and NS solutions is demonstrated. Index Terms—Boundary element method (BEM), coastal processes, computational fluid dynamics, model coupling, nonlinear waves, sediment transport. I