A model for the simulation of steady spilling breaking waves

A numerical model for the simulation of two-dimensional spilling breaking waves is described. The model is derived from Cointe and Tulin's theory of steady breakers (Cointe & Tulin 1994), although some important changes have been introduced in order to obtain a stable algorithm when coupled with steady-state Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes equations (RANSE) solvers. In particular, the shape of the breaker and its relation with the following wave height differ from the original model, and moreover, additional conditions for the tangential stress and the turbulent viscosity are proposed. The model has been implemented in a RANSE code, developed for the study of ship flows, through a modification in the free-surface boundary conditions below the breaker. This yields a simple but effective way to reproduce the breaker influence on the underlying flow. The algorithm was used for the simulation of the flow past a submerged hydrofoil. The numerical results are compared with the experimental data by Duncan (1983).