A fully-spectral 3D time-domain model for second-order simulation of wavetank experiments. Part B: Validation, calibration versus experiments and sample applications

A 3D second-order numerical wavetank (NWT) model, SWEET, is presented. In the first part (A) of the paper [Bonnefoy F, Le Touzé D, Ferrant P. A fully-spectral 3d time-domain model for second-order simultion of wavetank experiments. Part A: Formulation, implementation and numerical properties. Appl Ocean Res 2005 [submitted for publication]. doi:10.1016/j.apor.2006.05.004], the fully-spectral formulation we employ has been detailed, and the numerical properties of the model analyzed. In the present part (B), careful validation by comparison to analytical and experimental results is first reported. Thanks to the efficiency of the proposed spectral method, the shortest wavelengths in the wavetank can be accounted for with moderate computational times. The consequent possibilities are illustrated here for the following 2D and 3D complex wave-pattern simulations, with experimental comparisons: wave-packet and geometric focusing cases, directional wavefields, long-time evolutions of irregular waves. The numerical model features all the physical characteristics of a wavetank (snake wavemaker, experimentally-calibrated absorbing zone, etc.). Its usefulness to help preparing and analyzing experiments is shown in relation to some key practical requirements: e.g. quality and evolution of the usable test zone and usability of enhanced wavemaker motions.