Characterization of Coupled Turbulent Wind-wave Flows Based on Large Eddy Simulation

TL;DR

This study develops a high-fidelity model to simulate turbulent wind-wave interactions, revealing how inherent wind turbulence influences turbulence strength, wave velocities, and shelter effects under extreme conditions.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel two-phase model incorporating inherent wind turbulence via the turbulent spot method, validated against experimental data for high-fidelity wind-wave interaction simulation.

Findings

Inherent wind turbulence enhances overall turbulence and wave-coherent velocities.

Higher wind velocities increase turbulence intensity by up to 17%.

Wave-coherent velocity correlates with wind speed and depends on wave height.

Abstract

Wind-wave interaction involves wind forcing on wave surface and wave effects on the turbulent wind structures, which essentially influences the wind and wave loading on structures. Existing research on wind-wave interaction modeling ignores the inherent strong turbulences of wind. The present study aims to characterize the turbulent airflow over wave surfaces and wave dynamics under wind driving force. A high-fidelity two-phase model is developed to simulate highly turbulent wind-wave fields. Instead of using uniform wind, inherent wind turbulences are prescribed at the inlet boundary using the turbulent spot method. The developed model is validated by comparing the simulated wind-wave flow characteristics with experimental data. With the validated model, a numerical case study is conducted on a 10^2 m scale under extreme wind and wave conditions. The result shows that when inherent wind turbulences are considered, the resultant turbulence is strengthened and is the summation of the inherent turbulence and the wave-induced turbulence. In addition, the wave coherent velocities and shelter effect are enhanced because of the presence of wind inherent turbulence. The regions of intense turbulence depend on the relative speed between wind velocity and wave phase speed. Higher wind velocities induce greater turbulence intensities, which can be increased by up to 17%. The different relative speed between wind and wave can induce opposite positive-negative patterns of wave coherent velocities. The wave-coherent velocity is approximately proportional to the wind velocity, and the influenced region mainly depends on the wave heights.