Numerical simulations describing plunging breakers including the splash-up phenomenon are presented. The motion is governed by the classical, incompressible, two-dimensional Navier–Stokes equation. The numerical modeling of this two-phase flow is based on a piecewise linear version of the volume of fluid method. Capillary effects are taken into account such as a nonisotropic stress tensor concentrated near the interface. Results concerning the time evolution of liquid–gas interface and velocity field are given for short waves, showing how an initial steep wave undergoes breaking and successive splash-up cycles. Breaking processes including overturning, splash-up and gas entrainment, and breaking induced vortex-like motion beneath the surface and energy dissipation, are presented and discussed. It is found that strong vorticities are generated during the breaking process, and that more than of the total pre-breaking wave energy is dissipated within three wave periods. The numerical results are compared with some laboratory measurements, and a favorable agreement is found.
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January 1999
Research Article|
January 01 1999
Two-dimensional Navier–Stokes simulation of breaking waves
Gang Chen;
Gang Chen
Institut de Recherche sur les Phénomènes Hors Equilibre, UMR CNRS 6594, Case 903, 163, avenue de Luminy, 13288 Marseille Cedex 9, France
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Christian Kharif;
Christian Kharif
Institut de Recherche sur les Phénomènes Hors Equilibre, UMR CNRS 6594, Case 903, 163, avenue de Luminy, 13288 Marseille Cedex 9, France
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Stéphane Zaleski;
Stéphane Zaleski
Laboratoire de Modélisation en Mécanique, URA CNRS 229, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France
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Jie Li
Jie Li
Laboratoire de Modélisation en Mécanique, URA CNRS 229, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France
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Physics of Fluids 11, 121–133 (1999)
Article history
Received:
May 13 1996
Accepted:
September 18 1998
Citation
Gang Chen, Christian Kharif, Stéphane Zaleski, Jie Li; Two-dimensional Navier–Stokes simulation of breaking waves. Physics of Fluids 1 January 1999; 11 (1): 121–133. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.869907
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