Journal of Marine Science: Research & Development
Open Access

Abstract

In the past decade, two major tsunami events (2004 Boxing Day Tsunami and 2011 Japan Tsunami) have highlighted the need for development of mitigation strategies to survive this tremendous natural hazard. This paper presents computational fluids dynamics (CFD) analysis of tsunami bore interaction with a cylindrical structure. The modelled geometry is a large wave flume 14 m long, 1.2 m wide and 0.8 m deep with no longitudinal slope. The cylindrical model structure which has a diameter of 300 mm and height of 600 mm is placed 10.3 m downstream of the inlet, on the flume centreline. The tsunami bore has a steep, turbulent, rapidly moving front which should be modelled as a transient free surface flow. In this regard, the commercial CFD software ANSYS-CFX is used for the simulation purpose. The Shear Stress Transport (SST) model is employed for turbulence modelling because it is relatively economical and reasonably robust. The overall forces applied to the structure together with the vertical distribution of pressure along the structure height at different orientations are investigated. The CFD model is validated against the experimental data obtained from laboratory physical modelling. A good agreement between the numerical results and experimental data was observed. The results of this paper indicate the capability of CFX in simulating the tsunami bore interaction with coastal structures.

Biography

Seyedreza Shafiei is a third year Ph.D. student at the University of Auckland. He has completed his master?s degree in hydraulic engineering in Bharati Vidyapeeth University, India. He has published 2 journal and 4 conference papers and attended several national and international conferences and workshops.