Numerical Simulation of the Water Entry of a Structure in Free Fall Motion

To solve the problems concerning water entry of a structure, the RANS equations and volume of fluid (VOF) method are used. Combining the user-defined function (UDF) procedure with dynamic grids, the water impact on a structure in free fall is simulated, and the velocity, displacement and the pressure distribution on the structure are investigated. The results of the numerical simulation were compared with the experimental data, and solidly consistent results have been achieved, which validates the numerical model. Therefore, this method can be used to study the water impact problems of a structure.