Author(s): Seyyed Mahmoud Mousavi; Francesco Marini; Agnese Baldoni; Maurizio Brocchini

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Keywords: Open channel flows; Waves; Currents; Wave blocking

Abstract: The interaction of water waves and currents at river mouths is a classical, complex, nonlinear problem (Peregrine, 1976; Peregrine & Jonsson, 1983) and plays a crucial role in seabed stability (Zhang et al., 2014). A key phenomenon in this interaction is wave blocking, which occurs when wave velocities and opposing river currents interact, leading to a scenario where the wave group velocity approaches zero. During this process, the transport energy of the waves becomes null, marking a critical stage in the coexistence of water waves and opposing currents. The nonlinear nature of wave-current interactions makes them challenging to model with simplified equations. Existing models, such as the nonlinear shallow water equations, often rely on assumptions like hydrostatic pressure distributions, limiting their ability to accurately represent wave-blocking phenomena. To address this limitation, we conducted a two-dimensional numerical simulation of wave-current interactions using ANSYS Fluent. Our approach employs the Navier-Stokes equations with a finite volume scheme and the k-ω turbulence model. This framework enables for a direct resolution of wave and current flows, offering a more robust representation of wave blocking compared to simplified models.

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Year: 2025