Wave interaction with a vertical wall: SPH numerical and experimental modeling

• Numerical modeling of waves interacting with vertical breakwater using a SPH numerical model.
• Validation of SPH model by comparing numerical results with data obtained from physical tests.
• Set-up of physical tests identical to set-up of SPH numerical model.
• Identical boundary conditions and flume dimensions in experimental and numerical.
• Study in detail the free surface elevation and pressure.

Prediction of wave forces on caisson-type breakwaters is challenging, especially in the case of impact loads that strongly depend on wave reflection, and wave breaking which affects the wave characteristics near the structure. In recent years, numerical models have been further developed and their use is becoming increasingly attractive, such as the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) numerical models which enable the simulation of complex free surface flows. The SPH numerical model developed at the National Laboratory for Civil Engineering (LNEC) is validated by comparing the numerical results of the wave interaction with a vertical wall using data obtained from physical modeling tests carried out in one of the LNEC׳s flumes. The numerical results presented a good agreement with the physical model tests. The free surface level was well estimated, with a concordance index between numerical results and experimental data of about 90.5–99.1%, presenting an average value of 95.5%. Pressure at the vertical wall shows high intensity and short duration impact loads, and presented a concordance index between numerical results and experimental data about 68.8–94.4%, with an average value about 86.2%. Considering the complex phenomena involved, which is highly difficult to be accurately modeled, numerically and experimentally, a good agreement between physical tests and numerical results was accomplished.