High Performance Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Modeling for Hydraulics Research and Development (R&D)

Purpose
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and Federal Highway Administration's Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) are collaborating on a project to study CFD based simulation techniques in support of hydraulics research for transportation applications. The end product will be a validated CFD-based advanced simulation methodology for open channel flow to address questions in areas ranging from coastal, inland, and environmental hydraulics with an emphasis on bridge scouring.

Velocity distribution as a result of Particle Imagery Velocimetry (PIV) modeling

Velocity distribution as a result of CFD simulation

Scope

The CFD analysis of open channel flow will address a range of hydraulics research including:

• The assessment of lift and drag forces on bridge decks under various flood conditions.
• Optimization of bridge deck shapes to minimize pressure flow scour.
• Analysis of sediment transport and its influence on scouring.
• Evaluation of active or passive scour countermeasures to mitigate the damage.
• Addressing environmental issues such as fish passage through culverts.

Tasks
The early effort will concentrate on the technical support for TFHRC staff and its subcontractors, enabling them to perform CFD simulations first on ANL computers, and later on Transportation Research Analysis Computing Center (TRACC) supercomputer.

Phase I
Task 1: Technical Support for CFD Simulations.
Task 2: Analysis of Lift and Drag Forces on Inundated Bridge Decks.

Phase II
Task 3: Analysis of Optimum Bridge Deck Shapes to Minimize Pressure Flow Scour.
Task 4: Analysis of Pier Scour Countermeasures using Fluidic Devices.
Task 5: Fish Passage in Large Culverts with Low Flows.
Task 6: Wave Forces and Moments on Typical U.S. Highway Bridge Decks.
Task 7: Preparation of Semi-Annual and Final Project Reports.

Personnel
The Principal Investigators from ANL are Drs. Tanju Sofu and W. Dave Pointer. The Principal Investigator from TFHRC is Dr. Kornel Kerenyi.