Large eddy simulation for plunge breaker and sediment suspension

Abstract

Breaking waves are a powerful agent for generating turbulence that plays an important role in many fluid dynamical processes, particularly in the mixing of materials. Breaking waves can dislodge sediment and throw it into suspension, which will then be carried by wave-induced steady current and tidal flow. In order to investigate sediment suspension by breaking waves, a numerical model based on large-eddy-simulation (LES) is developed. This numerical model can be used to simulate wave breaking and sediment suspension. The model consists of a free-surface model using the surface marker method combined with a two-dimensional model that solves the flow equations. The turbulence and the turbulent diffusion are described by a large-eddy-simulation (LES) method where the large turbulence features are simulated by solving the flow equations, and a subgrid model represents the small-scale turbulence that is not resolved by the flow model , A dynamic eddy viscosity subgrid scale stress model has been used for the present simulation. By applying this model to Stokes' wave breaking problem in the surf zone, we find that the model results agree very well with experimental data. By use of this model to simulation of the breaking process of a periodic wave, it can be found that the model can reproduce the complicated flow phenomena, especially the plunging breaker. It reflects the dynamic structures of roller or vortex in the plunging breaker, and when the wave breaks, many strong vortex structures will be produced in the inner surf zone where the concentration of suspended sediment can thereby become relatively high.