SPH-DEM Modeling of the Hydraulic Stability of 2D Blocks on a Slope

AbstractThe numerical simulations of wave interactions with armor blocks on rubble-mound breakwaters will enable a stronger understanding of breakwater failure and therefore increased malfunction prevention. This paper presents a two-dimensional (2D) SPH-DEM model, which combines smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) and the discrete-element method (DEM) to simulate the wave-structure interaction on a slope and predict the hydraulic stability of the 2D structure. A particle method combined with a Riemann solver evaluates the hydrodynamic loads on the discrete blocks, while a multisphere DEM describes the movement of the solids from the wave attacks. An interfacial force-balance condition enables coupling between the fluids and the solids. A series of experimental tests were conducted to validate the SPH model. The simulation of water entry of the wedge was compared with previous experiments. The wave interactions with massive cross-shaped blocks on a slope were also simulated in 2D. Numerical results are ...