Numerical simulation of wave-induced laminar boundary layers

The three-dimensional numerical model with σ-coordinate transformation in the vertical direction is applied to the simulation of surface water waves and wave-induced laminar boundary layers. Unlike most of the previous investigations that solved the simplified one-dimensional boundary layer equation of motion and neglected the interaction between boundary layer and outside flow, the present model solves the full Navier–Stokes equations (NSE) in the entire domain from bottom to free surface. A non-uniform mesh system is used in the vertical direction to resolve the thin boundary layer. Linear wave, Stokes wave, cnoidal wave and solitary wave are considered. The numerical results are compared to analytical solutions and available experimental data. The numerical results agree favorably to all of the experimental data. It is found that the analytical solutions are accurate for both linear wave and Stokes wave but inadequate for cnoidal wave or solitary wave. The possible reason is that the existing analytical solutions for cnoidal and solitary waves adopt the first-order approximation for free stream velocity and thus overestimate the near bottom velocity. Besides velocity, the present model also provides accurate results for wave-induced bed shear stress.