Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Physical and numerical modelling of tsunami generation by a moving obstacle at the bottom boundary

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Fluid Mechanics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper presents a study of the waves generated by a solid block landslide moving along a horizontal boundary. The landslide was controlled using a mechanical system in a series of physical experiments, and laser-induced fluorescence measurements resolved both spatial and temporal variations in the free surface elevation. During its constant-velocity motion, the landslide transferred energy into ‘trapped’ offshore-propagating waves within a narrow frequency band. The wave trapping is demonstrated by investigating the wave dispersion characteristics using a two-dimensional Fourier Transform. The first of the trailing waves broke at Froude numbers greater than or equal to 0.625. The parametric dependence of the largest-amplitude waves and the potential energy within the wave field are discussed. The experimental results were compared to the predictions of an incompressible Navier–Stokes solver with and without turbulence models. The numerical model under-predicted the measured wave amplitudes, although it accurately predicted the measured wave phasing. The turbulent model more accurately predicted the shapes of the trailing waves. Both experimental and numerical results confirmed that investigations into wave generation by submerged objects moving at constant velocity should also consider the initial acceleration of the object, as this affects the overall evolution of the wave field. The applicability of the horizontal-boundary results to more realistic field scenarios is discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Dean RG, Dalrymple RA (1991) Water wave mechanics for engineers and scientists, vol 2. World Scientific, 368 pp

  2. Di Risio M, De Girolamo P, Bellotti G, Panizzo A, Aristodemo F, Molfetta MG, Petrillo AF (2009) Landslide-generated tsunamis runup at the coast of a conical island: new physical model experiments. J Geophys Res 114(C1):C01,009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Enet F, Grilli ST (2007) Experimental study of tsunami generation by three-dimensional rigid underwater landslides. J Waterw Port Coast Ocean Eng 133(6):442–454

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Fritz HM, Hager WH, Minor HE (2003) Landslide generated impulse waves. Exp Fluids 35(6):505–519

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Fritz HM, Hager WH, Minor HE (2003) Landslide generated impulse waves. 2. hydrodynamic impact craters. Exp Fluids 35(6):520–532

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Fritz HM, Hager WH, Minor HE (2004) Near field characteristics of landslide generated impulse waves. J Waterw Port Coast Ocean Eng 130(6):287–302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Hampton MA, Lee HJ, Locat J (1996) Submarine landslides. Rev Geophys 34(1):33–59. doi:10.1029/95RG03287

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Higuera P, Losada IJ, Lara JL (2015) Three-dimensional numerical wave generation with moving boundaries. Coast Eng 101:35–47. doi:10.1016/j.coastaleng.2015.04.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Lee SJ, Yates GT, Wu TY (1989) Experiments and analyses of upstream-advancing solitary waves generated by moving disturbances. J Fluid Mech 199:569–593

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Lighthill J (1978) Waves in fluids. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  11. Liu PLF, Wu TR, Raichlen F, Synolakis CE, Borrero JC (2005) Runup and rundown generated by three-dimensional sliding masses. J Fluid Mech 536:107–144

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Locat J, Lee HJ (2002) Submarine landslides: advances and challenges. Can Geotech J 39(1):193–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Lynett P, Liu PLF (2005) A numerical study of the run-up generated by three-dimensional landslides. J Geophys Res 110(C3):C03,006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Renzi E, Sammarco P (2010) Landslide tsunamis propagating around a conical island. J Fluid Mech 650:251–285

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Sammarco P, Renzi E (2008) Landslide tsunamis propagating along a plane beach. J Fluid Mech 598:107–119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Sue L, Nokes R, Davidson M (2011) Tsunami generation by submarine landslides: comparison of physical and numerical models. Env Fluid Mech 11(2):133–165

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Sue LP (2007) Modelling of tsunami generated by submarine landslides. Ph.D. thesis, University of Canterbury

  18. Tinti S, Bortolucci E (2000) Energy of water waves induced by submarine landslides. Pure Appl Geophys 157(3):281–318. doi:10.1007/s000240050001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Vennell R (2009) Resonance and trapping of topographic transient ocean waves generated by a moving atmospheric disturbance. J Fluid Mech 650:427–442

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Watts P (2000) Tsunami features of solid block underwater landslides. J Waterw Port Coast Ocean Eng 126(3):144–152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Whittaker C, Nokes R, Davidson M (2015) Tsunami forcing by a low froude number landslide. Env Fluid Mech 15(6):1215–1239

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Whittaker C, Walters R (2017) Tsunami Generation Benchmark. GitHub, Inc. [US]. https://github.com/cwhi573/Tsunami_Generation_Benchmark. Accessed 20 April 2017

Download references

Acknowledgements

The laboratory work in this project was conducted with the assistance of Ian Sheppard, Kevin Wines, Alan Stokes and Mike Weavers. Prof. Liu would like to acknowledge the support received from Cornell University and National University of Singapore. The provision of IHFOAM by Dr. P. Higuera is also greatly appreciated, as are contributions by Pedro Lee and Sarah Delavan.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Auckland, 20 Symonds St, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand

    C. N. Whittaker

  2. Department of Civil and Natural Resources Engineering, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand

    R. I. Nokes & M. J. Davidson

  3. School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, 220 Hollister Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA

    H.-Y. Lo & P. L.-F. Liu

  4. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117576, Singapore

    P. L.-F. Liu

  5. Institute of Hydrological and Oceanic Sciences, National Central University, Jhongli, Taoyuan, 320, Taiwan

    P. L.-F. Liu

Authors
  1. C. N. Whittaker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. I. Nokes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. H.-Y. Lo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. P. L.-F. Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. M. J. Davidson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to C. N. Whittaker.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Whittaker, C.N., Nokes, R.I., Lo, HY. et al. Physical and numerical modelling of tsunami generation by a moving obstacle at the bottom boundary. Environ Fluid Mech 17, 929–958 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10652-017-9526-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10652-017-9526-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation