Resumen
From a recent experimental study on the kinematics of wave overtopping on marine structure by Lee, Zhuang and Chang (1993) it was found that the overtopping wave generates a strong rotational velocity field in the shoreward region of the breakwater. The present study focuses on the development and the implementation of a numerical model for the generated velocity field in the vicinity of the shoreward face of the breakwater. The numerical model consists of two basic elements: The velocity field generated by using the potential flow theory utilizing boundary element method and the rotational velocity field generated by the separated flow of the overtopping waves as they leave the breakwater site using vorticity stream function formulation. The computational results at a region far away from the separation zone based on the potential flow theory (boundary element method) are used as specified boundary conditions for simulation in the vorticity stream function model. The numerical results have been compared with the experimental data revealing the rotational feature of the velocity field in the separated zone (shoreward region of the breakwater). The generated vortical motion remains in the separation region even when the wave has travelled to the region far away from the breakwater.
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