Numerical Simulation of Flows Past Partially-Submerged Horizontal Circular Cylinders in Free Surface Waves

Abstract

Two-dimensional (2D) numerical simulations are performed to investigate the flows past partially-submerged circular cylinders in free surface waves. The 2D simulations are carried out by solving the Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) equations with the k-ω turbulence model. The level set method is employed to model the free-surface waves. Validation studies of a numerical wave tank have been performed by comparing the numerical results with the analytical results obtained from the linear-wave theory. Wave forces on the partially-submerged cylinders have been calculated numerically and compared with the published theoretical and experimental data under regular-wave conditions. The free-surface elevations around the cylinders have been investigated and discussed.