Consulting Engineers and Scientists
Research & Development
Edenvale Young Associates in conjunction with Bath University and Great Western Research have been sponsoring research into the use of OpenFOAM and the geotechnical / structural interaction with civil engineering structures such as embankments, weirs and bridges. The research has established confidence in the use of three dimensional hydrodynamic modelling for these purposes.
A range of wave conditions were tested in the wave basin at DHI in Denmark, from small close to linear waves up to spilling and plunging breakers.
Results of OpenFOAM modelling for the caisson pier testred at DHI in Denmark
Results of OpenFOAM modelling for the caisson pier testred at DHI in Denmark
Results of OpenFOAM modelling for the caisson pier testred at DHI in Denmark
Results of OpenFOAM modelling for the caisson pier testred at DHI in Denmark
Results of OpenFOAM modelling for the caisson pier testred at DHI in Denmark
OpenFOAM Results for 1%annual flow probability showing rendered water surface profile at downstream face of bridge at Tavistock
Scour at Bridges and Structures
Dr Jun Zang, is Lecturer in Civil Engineering Hydraulics at University of Bath in the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering. Recently she led a European consortium on an experimental study of violent wave impact on a vertical cylinder in shallow water.
The shallow water basin at DHI, Denmark was used for these experiments and this work is applicable to the design and assessment of bridge columns and offshore wind turbine foundations. Importantly the research involves varification of experimental data and validation of 3D hydraulic modelling techniques to analyse the reliability of numerical modelling methodologies.
Her research team’s current research includes numerical simulation of coastal flooding with OpenFOAM, non-linear wave interaction with coastal structures, fixed offshore platforms and floating FPSOs, marine renewable energy etc.
Experimental Validation
A vertical cylinder of diameter 0.25m was suspended from a stiff triangular frame via a load-cell. The water depth at the cylinder was 0.5m and an array of wave gauges was used to monitor the wave-field around the cylinder, and the wave kinematics were measured with an ADV. In each case a compact wave group focussed at the front stagnation point of the cylinder was used to allow the unambiguous extraction of the harmonic structure of the fluid loading on a vertical column.
Research in Breach Development
Gerald Morgan, has now completed two years of his Phd at Bath University into the development of breaches in earth embankments under wave loading / overtopping. This has included attending training workshops in Montreal to develop his skills in 3D hydro-dynamic OpenFOAM modelling.
He will be travelling to present papers on 3D modelling of wave interaction with offshore piers and columns at the International Conference of Coastal Engineering in Shanghai and the International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers in Beijing. Gerald's research into breach analysis of coastal embankments continues.
River Eden at Warwick on Eden in Cumbria
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Research & Development
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Bridge Scour
Three dimension modelling is a cornerstone of evaluating the hydro-dynamic response of a structure to evaluate scour conditions and the vulnerability of foundations. -
Animations
Review the animations of the results output from OpenFOAM for a typical masonry arched bridge in the UK. -
Channel Migration
The Meandras software package can be used as a suite of techniques includign historical review to assess the probable migration of a river.