This study investigates the hydrodynamic performance of a Duisburg Test Case (DTC) hull in shallow water using the open-source computational fluid dynamics (CFD) framework REEF3D. Simulations based on the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations are conducted to analyze the wake angle and wave patterns at varying depth-based Froude numbers (𝐹𝑟ℎ). The study reveals significant changes in wake angles and wave dynamics as the hull transitions through subcritical, critical, and supercritical regimes. Results are compared with Havelock’s analytical theory to validate the numerical model and explore the influence of shallow water effects on hull performance. Key findings include a pronounced broadening of the wake angle in the critical regime, consistent with energy concentration due to resonance, and a rapid narrowing of the wake in the supercritical regime dominated by divergent waves. These findings provide critical insights into optimizing hull performance in shallow water while minimizing environmental impacts such as shoreline erosion. Future work will focus on enhancing numerical accuracy through mesh convergence analyses and extending the study to include bank effects and squat phenomena for a comprehensive understanding of shallow-water hydrodynamics.

Oral presentation:
Bayraktar Bural, D. “Numerical Investigation of Wake Angle and Wave Patterns for a DTC Hull in Shallow Water” 3rd International Congress on Ship and Marine Technology (GMO-SHIPMAR 2024) on December 10-12, 2024 in Trabzon, Türkiye

Related Staff:
Deniz Bayraktar Bural
Rabia Yağmur Tunçay