Effect of vertical grid variability on a free surface flow model

• Published in: International journal for numerical methods in fluids Vol. 54; no. 10; pp. 1173 - 1199
• Main Author: Bradford, Scott F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 10.08.2007; Wiley
• Subjects: Computational methods in fluid dynamics; Exact sciences and technology; flow simulation; Fluid dynamics; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Hydrodynamic waves; Navier-Stokes equations; numerical models; Physics; wave propagation; flow simulation; Wave propagation; Pipe flow; Computational fluid dynamics; Digital simulation; numerical models; Free surface flow; Modelling; Incompressible fluid; Mesh generation; Numerical stability; Navier-Stokes equations
• ISSN: 0271-2091; 1097-0363
• DOI: 10.1002/fld.1421

A previously developed numerical model that solves the incompressible, non‐hydrostatic, Navier–Stokes equations for free surface flow is analysed on a non‐uniform vertical grid. The equations are vertically transformed to the σ‐coordinate system and solved in a fractional step manner in which the pressure is computed implicitly by correcting the hydrostatic flow field to be divergence free. Numerical consistency, accuracy and efficiency are assessed with analytical methods and numerical experiments for a varying vertical grid discretization. Specific discretizations are proposed that attain greater accuracy and minimize computational effort when compared to a uniform vertical discretization. Published in 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.