Simulation of Breaking Waves in OpenFOAM: Numerical Assessment Using Stokes Wave Initial Conditions

Understanding the characteristics of breaking waves in deep and intermediate water is essential for both air–sea interaction and wave-structure interaction. This paper explores optimal numerical methods for modelling breaking events within the OpenFOAM framework, using a 2D numerical wave tank. The present work discusses the implementation of initial wave conditions in the OpenFOAM framework and the optimal combination of numerical techniques used for modelling breaking events. Stokes wave theory is used to prescribe the initial wave field, which is first assessed against the corresponding analytical solution before the subsequent nonlinear evolution and breaking processes are investigated. Three orders of Stokes wave theory are used to investigate their capability in simulating wave propagation and modeling a single breaking wave event. Various numerical schemes implemented in OpenFOAM are tested to determine the optimal combination for achieving accurate results. The findings demonstrate that fifth-order Stokes wave theory is the most suitable for capturing the highly nonlinear evolution of waves leading up to breaking.