APLICACIÓN DE UN MODELO SAINT VENANT BALANCEADO A LA PROPAGACIÓN DEL OLEAJE EN LA ZONA DE ROMPIENTES

Abstract

Saint Venant equations (SV) possess robust resolution schemes that produce an excellent representation of complex flows in shallow waters, dealing with wet-dry interfaces and energy dissipation through shocks. These qualities make them a good alternative to model the near shore zone inside the surf zone. Nevertheless, the treatment of source terms is a crucial point since classical approaches produce numerical oscillations in zones where bottom variations may be important.

A SV model is implemented using a “well-balanced” finite volume technique that maintains the equilibrium between fluxes and source terms when state variables don’t change in time. The model is tested in a dam-break problem and against measurements over a bottom triangular sill on a plane flume closed in both sides. The motions over the sill are highly complex, with generation of jets, bores, backbores and dry zones between the wet zones and over the sill. Finally, the model is tested against experimental irregular waves propagating over a very mild beach slope and a very good agreement between measurements and computations are observed in the inner surf zone.