CFD Modeling of Wave Impact on a Dam Parapet Wall

Overview

Large dams exposed to strong winds and wave action require protective parapet walls to safeguard their structures. Designing these walls demands a reliable understanding of how extreme waves interact with them, since wave impacts can generate significant forces, pressures, and overturning moments

The Challenge

Uncertainties existed regarding the magnitude of forces and moments that waves of different return periods could impose on the parapet wall. Traditional design approaches, based on simplified formulas, risked underestimating peak loads and overlooking localized pressure distributions. A more detailed analysis was required to validate the design and ensure its safety under extreme hydrodynamic conditions.

Our Contribution

HCS developed a CFD model using OpenFOAM to simulate the interaction between incident waves and the parapet wall. The study tested two design storm scenarios, corresponding to 10-year and 100-year recurrence periods. The model provided time histories of forces, moments, and pressure distributions on the structure, capturing both global loads and localized peaks. Results allowed the design to be validated before construction.