Two-dimensional, unstructured mesh generation for tidal models

    Authors

    S. C. Hagen; J. J. Westerink; R. L. Kolar;O. Horstmann

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Int. J. Numer. Methods Fluids

    Keywords

    localized truncation error analysis; shallow-water flow; tidal model; grid generation; SHALLOW-WATER EQUATIONS; BOUNDARY-CONDITIONS; ELEMENT; PROGRESS; GRIDS; Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications; Mathematics, ; Interdisciplinary Applications; Mechanics; Physics, Fluids & Plasmas

    Abstract

    The successful implementation of a finite element model for computing shallow-water flow requires the identification and spatial discretization of a surface water region. Since no robust criterion or node spacing routine exists, which incorporates physical characteristics and subsequent responses into the mesh generation process, modelers are left to rely on crude gridding criteria as well as their knowledge of particular domains and their intuition. Two separate methods to generate a finite element mesh are compared for the Gulf of Mexico. A wavelength-based criterion and an alternative approach, which employs a localized truncation error analysis (LTEA), are presented. Both meshes have roughly the same number of nodes, although the distribution of these nodes is very different. Two-dimensional depth-averaged simulations of now using a linearized form of the generalized wave continuity equation and momentum equations are performed with the LTEA-based mesh and the wavelength-to-gridsize ratio mesh. All simulations are forced with a single tidal constituent, M-2. Use of the LTEA-based procedure is shown to produce a superior (i.e., less error) two-dimensional grid because the physics of shallow-water flow, as represented by discrete equations, are incorporated into the mesh generation process. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

    Journal Title

    International Journal for Numerical Methods in Fluids

    Volume

    35

    Issue/Number

    6

    Publication Date

    1-1-2001

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    669

    Last Page

    686

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000167588900003

    ISSN

    0271-2091

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