Numerical modelling of extreme waves by Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics

The impact of extreme/rogue waves can lead to se- rious damage of vessels as well as marine and coastal struc- tures. Such extreme waves in deep water are characterized by steep wave fronts and an energetic wave crest. The process of wave breaking is highly complex and, apart from the gen- eral knowledge that impact loadings are highly impulsive, the dynamics of the breaking and impact are still poorly under- stood. Using an advanced numerical method, the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics enhanced with parallel computing is able to reproduce well the extreme waves and their break- ing process. Once the waves and their breaking process are modelled successfully, the dynamics of the breaking and the characteristics of their impact on offshore structures could be studied. The computational methodology and numerical re- sults are presented in this paper.