A Numerical Wave-Structure-Soil Interaction Model for Monolithic Breakwaters Subject to Breaking Wave Impact

Within the OpenFOAM®framework, a one-way weakly coupled CFD-CSD model system is developed for simulating hydro-geotechnical processes for the foundations of coastal and offshore structures. The model system is suitable for the analysis of stiff (gravity) marine structures for which the structural motion does not significantly affect the flow field. The multiphase (air-water) hydrodynamic model provides relatively good results for breaking wave impact via introducing a new term to the continuity equation to account for fluid compressibility due to pressure change. The structural dynamic model accounts for full coupling of the soil foundation skeleton and pore fluid with the inclusion of full dynamic effects of the pore fluid. A frictional contact model is used for soil-structure interaction and a multi-surface plasticity constitutive model is used for the soil foundation, which in turn allows the model to properly reproduce generation, build up and dissipation of pore pressure due to cyclic loads, including the resulting partial loss of soil strength (partial liquefaction).