Energy Dissipation Mechanisms in Breaking Waves

Simone Di Giorgio, Sergio Pirozzoli, Alessandro Iafrati

The energy dissipation in breaking waves is significantly enhanced by the
bubble fragmentation process but a complete understanding of the mechanisms
is still missing. On this regard, the progress in the performances of multiphase
flow solvers allowing a highly detailed investigation of the flow represents an
incredible opportunity to address such a complex phenomenon.
However, all numerical models have some intrinsic limitations that have to be
carefully assessed before the results of the simulations can be actually used for
the interpretation of the physics.
The present contribution will be focused at comparing how different numerical models
used for the solution of both the momemtum equation and the interface tracking
behave in terms of numerical dissipation.
Hence, the energy dissipation characterizing the breaking of a 3D steep wave
in a periodic domain is analysed with the scope of identifying the most relevant
mechanisms and their relation with the dynamics of the air-water interface and with
the bubble fragmentation process.