A numerical method to analyze the interaction between sea waves and rubble mound emerged breakwaters

The paper provides some results of a new procedure, developed by MEDUS, to analyze the hydrodynamic aspects of the interactions between maritime emerged breakwaters and waves, by integrating CAD and CFD software.The filtration of the fluid within the interstices of a concrete blocks breakwater is evaluated by integrating the Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes equations (RANS) inside the voids rather than making use of the widespread “porous media” approach. The structure is thus modelled, very much like in the real world or in the physical laboratory testing, by overlapping individual three-dimensional elements (Armour in Accropode™, Core-loc™ or Xbloc^®, toe protection and filter layer in stones), and then the computational grid is fitted so as to provide enough computational nodes within the flow paths. This approach is meant to match closely the physical laboratory test procedure, and it is oriented at analyzing the hydrodynamic aspects of the phenomenon (overtopping, breaking, Run-up, reflection) as well as the stability of armour elements. Therefore, for the results' validation, the numerical Run-up and reflection effects on virtual breakwater were compared with some empirical formulas and some similar laboratory tests.