Experimental and Numerical Study on the Characteristics of Free Surface Waves by the Movement of a Circular Cylinder-Shaped Submerged Body in a Single Fluid Layer

Abstract

Analyzing the interactions of free surface waves caused by a submerged-body movement is important as a fundamental study of submerged-body motion. In this study, a two-dimensional mini-towing tank was used to tow an underwater body for analyzing the generation and propagation characteristics of free surface waves. The magnitude of the maximum wave height generated by the underwater body motion increased with the body velocity at shallow submerged depths but did not increase further when the generated wave steepness corresponded to a breaking wave condition. Long-period waves were generated in the forward direction as the body moved initially, and then short-period waves were measured when the body moved at a constant velocity. In numerical simulations based on potential flow, the fluid pressure changes caused by the submerged-body motion were implemented, and the maximum wave height was accurately predicted; however, the complex physical phenomena caused by fluid viscosity and wave breaking in the downstream direction were difficult to implement. This research provides a fundamental understanding of the changes in the free surface caused by a moving underwater body.