Wave Impact, Body Motion and

Overset Grids in STAR-CCM+

Milovan Perić

Features of STAR-CCM+ enabling studies of wave

impact and motion of floating bodies

Overset grids in STAR-CCM+

Fluid-structure interaction

Examples of application

Future developments

Introduction

Features of STAR-CCM+ enabling studies of wave

impact and flow-induced floating body motion:

– High-resolution interface-capturing scheme

– Wave generation models

– Wave damping

– Second-order time advancing

– Dynamic fluid-body interaction (DFBI) with 6 degrees of

freedom

– Mesh motion and adaptation techniques:

• Mesh morphing

• Sliding grids

• Overset grids

Enabling Technology

HRIC-scheme was developed in late 1990es and resolves a sharp interface by one cell…

FLUENT also adopted it (but it is not identical to STAR-CCM+ implementation – less sharp interface)…

Control parameters:

– Courant number limits:

• Below lower limit, pure HRIC is used to transport volume fraction;

• Above upper limit, pure 1st-order upwind scheme is used;

• Between the limit the two schemes are blended.

– Sharpening factor:

• Based on an anti-diffusion model developed by H. Weller

• Used to avoid irreversible mixing due to occasional use of upwind scheme (splashing, wave breaking etc.)

High-Resolution Interface-Capturing, I

High-Resolution Interface-Capturing, II

Simulation of sloshing

in LNG-tank subject to

roll motion: Volume

fraction distribution

after 101 periods

Simulation of wave propagation

STAR-CCM+ provides several wave models:

– For initialization of volume fraction, velocity and pressure

fields;

– For a transient inlet boundary condition.

Currently available models:

– 1st-order linear wave theory

– Non-linear 5th-order Stokes wave theory (Fenton, 1985)

– Pierson-Moskowitz and JONSWAP long-crested wave

spectra

– Superposition of linear waves with varying amplitude,

period and direction of propagation (can be set-up via

Excel-file)

Wave Models

w w

Vertical motion is damped by introducing smoothly increasing

resistance…

The method proposed by Choi and Yoon (Costal Engineering,

Vol. 56, pp. 1043-1060, 2009) has been implemented into

STAR-CCM+:

Wave Damping

xsd

– Starting point for wave damping (propagation in x-direction)

xed

– End point for wave damping (boundary)

f1 , f

2 and n

d – Parameters of the damping model

w – Vertical velocity component

Accurate wave propagation requires 2nd-order time-integration method.

Second-order method (quadratic interpolation in time) requires that the wave propagates less than half a cell per time step.

First-order scheme is always stable but less accurate…

Test case:

– Stokes 5th-order wave

– Wavelength 102.7 m

– Wave height 5.8 m

– Wave period 8 s

– Solution domain 4 wavelengths long…

Time-Accurate Wave Propagation, I

Time-Accurate Wave Propagation, II

Wave damping was applied over the last 100 m before outlet... 41 cells

per wave length, 11.5 cells per wave height (Δx = 2.5 m, Δz = 0.5 m)

1st-order scheme, 100 Δt/T (Co = 0.41), after 4 periods

2nd-order scheme, 100 Δt/T (Co = 0.41), after 4 periods

5 cells

10 cells

Time-Accurate Wave Propagation, III

Wave train initialized using Stokes 5th-order theory

Solution domain 1002 m long (8 wavelengths)

Damping applied over last 300 m

Wave period 8.977 s, wave height 5 m

20 cells per wave height, 80 cells per wavelength

Second-order time integration scheme (quadratic backward)

Initial wave profile:

Damping applied

to initial field...

Time-Accurate Wave Propagation, IV

Wave profile after 100 s of simulation time (> 11 periods).

Note: 1 cell resolution, almost no reduction in amplitude…

Essential for accurate prediction of wave propagation:

- 2nd-order discretization in time

- Order of 20 cells per wave height and 80 cells per wavelength

DFBI model computes motion of a rigid body (up to six

degrees of freedom).

Second-order discretization in space and time is used

(compatible to discretization in flow domain).

Body motion is affected by:

– Flow-induced forces and moments (from shear and

pressure forces);

– Gravity;

– Specified external forces and moments;

– Couplings (springs, catenaries,…).

Dynamic Fluid-Body Interaction, I

Dynamic Fluid-Body Interaction, II

Coupled simulation of flow

and flow-induced motion of

floating bodies:

Implicit coupling by

updates within outer

iteration loop…

Applies also to deformable

structures (needs compu-

tation of body deformation).

Grid can be adapted to a moving body by several methods:

– Morphing,

– Embedded rigid body motion (a combination of rotation with a

sliding interface and translation),

– Overset grids.

Grid Adaptation in Fluid

An example of grid

adaptation using morphing

for a prescribed

deformation of a body.

Multiple regions (background, overset)…

Each region is associated with one grid continuum (any

grid type).

Overset grid interface needs to be set for regions,

overset boundary on overset grids…

Cells are automatically grouped into active and passive.

Active cells along interface to passive cells refer to donor

cells at another grid instead of the passive neighbours on

the same grid...

The first layer of passive cells next to active cells are

called acceptor cells...

Overset Grids, I

Variable values at acceptor cells are expressed via

variable values at donor cells using an interpolation

function.

Overset Grids, II

Background

grid

Overset

grid

N1, N2, N3 –

Neighbors from

the same grid;

N4, N5, N6 –

Neighbors from

the overlapping

grid.

In the overlapping zone, cells should be of comparable

size (recommendation).

Between two walls belonging to different grids, there

should be at least 4 cells to enable coupling

(requirement).

The overset grid should not move more than one cell per

time step (recommendation).

Overset Grids, III

Pitching foil in a

channel

Store separation

Coupled computation of flow and flow-induced

deformation of structure: implicit coupling is essential…

Having both solvers in a single code (even if different

methods, like FV and FE) is a big advantage –

communication via memory…

A finite-element solver for structures (3D, beams, plates,

shells, membranes) is being developed in STAR-CCM+…

Implicit coupling to ABAQUS is available since V 7.04 – a

great increase in robustness compared to explicit

coupling (exchange once per time step).

Explicit coupling with other FE codes is also possible.

Solution mapping available for non-conformal grids…

Fluid-Structure Interaction

Stokes wave slamming against a jack-up platform in

North Sea (GL)

Shallow water wave slamming against an offshore

structure (DNV)

Simulation of hurricane damage to a platform in the Gulf

of Mexico (Chevron; FSI, coupling to ABAQUS)

Simulation of ship bow and stern slamming (whipping,

springing; GL)

Lifeboat launching into waves (DNV, FEDEM, UMOE,

NORSAFE, CFD-Marin…)

Other applications of overset grids

Examples of Application

Wave Impact on Jack-Up Platform

CD-adapco in collaboration with GL

Wave Impact on Offshore Structure

Simulations by DNV (published at

OMAE2012 Conference)

Hurricane Damage on Oil Platform

Coupled simulation of

flow using STAR-CCM+

and deformation of

platform structure using

ABAQUS.

Simulation by CD-adapco

Engineering Services for

Chevron. Published at

OMAE2012 Conference.

Evidence of damage on a

platform after it was hit by

a hurricane

Deformation in a

simulation: good

agreement with field

observation…

Ship Slamming in Waves

Container ship in waves

Comparison of predicted

and measured mean

pressure over limited

area at two bow locations

(analysis by GL).

Effects of Ship Deformation, I

Analysis of whipping phenomena at GL: Green water on deck after one slamming event (upper), and Comparison of measured and computed accele- rations in bow region for a rigid and an elastic ship structure (lower).

Analysis by GL

Effects of Ship Deformation, II

Analysis by GL

Lifeboat Launching Into Waves, I

Simulation by H.J. Morch, CFD Marine;

Experiment by Norsafe AS

Lifeboat Launching Into Waves, II

Initial wave position varied

by 20 m (drop from 32 m

height).

Following wave (180°)

Wavelength ca. 220 m,

wave height 13.5 m, water

depth 33.5 m

The questions to be

answered:

When is the load on the

structure the highest?

When are accelerations

the highest?

Lifeboat Launching Into Waves, III

Pressure at one monitoring point for

different hit points, 180°

Parametric Study With Overset Grids, I

Flow around a body at

different angles of attack

A horizontal section through

both grids (only active cells

are shown).

Total number of cells:

ca. 1 million

Vertical section through the

two grids (only active cells

are shown).

Parametric Study With Overset Grids, II

Velocity distribution in a section

parallel to bottom wall for different

angles of attack.

Steady-state solutions.

30°

-30° -15°

0° 15°

Parametric Study With Overset Grids, III

Residual history from the computation of flow around a body in a wind

tunnel at different angles of attack: time step 1000 s, rotation 15° per time

step, standard k-ε turbulence model, under-relaxation 0.9/0.1/0.9 for

velocities/pressure/turbulence, wind speed 40 m/s

Parametric Study With Overset Grids, IV

History of computed forces from the computation of flow around a body

in a wind tunnel at different angles of attack (since the time step is very

large, steady-state solutions are obtained for each body orientation).

Parametric Study With Overset Grids, V

Simulation of motion of a

container ship in Stokes

waves propagating from

right to left:

- Wave length equal to ship

length

- Initial vessel orientation 30°

(upper) and -30° (lower)

relative to the direction of

wave propagation

Parametric Study With Overset Grids, VI

Simulation of motion of a

container ship in Stokes

waves propagating from

right to left

Vessels With Crossing Paths

Lifeboat Launched From a Platform

Wave propagates from

left to right

Wave propagates from

right to left

Additional motion models (prescribed motion + additional

DOF)

Internal wave generation

Superposition of nonlinear (Stokes 5th-order) waves

Short-crested wave spectra

Automatic setup of standard towing tank tests (circle, zig-

zag, PMM-tests etc.)

Fluid-Structure Interaction (internal FE-models for

beams, plates, shells, membranes…)

… and other enhancements requested by clients

(keyword: IdeaStorm!)

Future Developments

Thank you for your attention!