NUMERICAL MODELING FOR SCOUR NEAR COFFERDAMS USING EULERIAN TWO-PHASE FLOW MODEL

This study presents a two-phase Eulerian CFD model to simulate and predict scour near cofferdams, structures used to create dry working areas in aquatic construction zones. Using the sedFoam solver in OpenFOAM, the research captures the complex interactions between water flow and sediment transport, incorporating both kinetic and frictional rheology models. The simulations were validated with experimental data from HR Wallingford’s flume tests, focusing on how cofferdam geometry, water depth, and flow speed influence scour patterns. The model aims to improve the accuracy of scour prediction, offering a more reliable alternative to traditional empirical methods.