ASSESSING THE LIMITATIONS AND QUALIFICATION CRITERIA OF CFD-BASED NUMERICAL WAVE TANKS USING HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTING (HPC)

A Numerical Wave Tank (NWT) refers to a class of numerical simulators used in the field of ocean engineering to model nonlinear free surface waves, hydrodynamic forces, and the motions of floating bodies. In comparison with laboratory wave tanks, NWTs are more flexible and cost-effective in tank layout adjustment and data analysis. Numerical wave tanks, supported by CFD and High- Performance Computing (HPC), have emerged as strong tools for studying wave dynamics and their practical applications. These virtual laboratories enable comprehensive wave analysis and marine structure design. However, realizing their potential necessitates a detailed understanding of their limitations and the establishment of rigorous qualification criteria. The field of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) applied to Numerical Wave Tanks (NWTs) has significant progress, driven by the demand for precision and computational efficiency in simulating complex wave phenomena. This research delves into the intricacies of assessing the reliability and accuracy of CFD-based numerical wave tanks, particularly in the context of HPC-driven simulations. This project focuses on the development of a Numerical Wave Tank (NWT) for studying wave-structure interaction.