23 Mar 2026

OpenFOAM Verification and Validation: Quantifying Multiphase Flow Solvers for a U-Bend Simulation

Abstract: This report presents a validation and verification study of multiphase solvers in the open-source software, OpenFOAM, for an open-channel U-Bend simulation. The study’s primary objective quantified the performance and discrepancies between different Volume of Fluid (VoF) solvers to establish robust guidelines for US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) water resource applications. The study compared the algebraic solver, interFoam, with the geometric solver, interIsoFoam, and interIsoFoam’s various interface reconstruction schemes. Key parameters such as the Courant number, numerical schemes, and the effect of a buoyancy-modified turbulence model were evaluated for their effect on computational cost and solution accuracy. The results demonstrated that interFoam is significantly more computationally efficient than interIsoFoam, particularly at lower Courant numbers. While velocity fields were qualitatively similar across all solvers, interIsoFoam consistently predicted a lower free-surface elevation. Including a buoyancy source term in the turbulence model improved interface sharpness and corrected the over-production of turbulent kinetic energy at a negligible computational cost. For the U-Bend case, choosing a specific geometric reconstruction scheme had minimal effect on the solution’s accuracy. Therefore, interFoam with a turbulence buoyancy term is recommended as a cost-effective and accurate approach.

23 Mar 2026

Seamless Nearshore Topo-Bathymetry Reconstruction from Lidar Scanners: A Proof-of-Concept Based on a Dedicated Field Experiment at Duck, NC

Abstract: Accurate observations of the nearshore bathymetry, including within the breaking wave region, are critical for the prediction of coastal hazards, and improved understanding of sandy beach morphological response to storms. We implement the recent Boussinesq theory-based depth inversion methodology of Martins et al. (2023) to single- and multibeam lidar datasets collected during a dedicated field experiment on a sandy Atlantic Ocean beach near Duck, North Carolina. Compared with common approaches based on passive remote sensing technology, lidar scanners present several key advantages, including the capacity to directly measure the beach topography, waveforms and the cross-shore variations in mean water levels due to wave action, leading to the seamless reconstruction of a vertically-referenced beach topo-bathymetry. Given the potentially gappy nature of lidar data, particular attention is paid to the robust computation of surface elevation spectral and bispectral quantities, which are at the base of the proposed non-linear depth inversion methodology. Promising results on the final topo/bathymetry are obtained under contrasting wave conditions in terms of non-linearity and peak period, with an overall root-mean square error below 0.3 m obtained along a cross-shore transect covering both shoaling and breaking wave conditions. The accuracy of the final bathymetry in the shoaling and outer surf regions is generally found to be excellent, with similar skills as previously obtained in laboratory settings. Under the most energetic conditions, an underestimation of the wave phase velocity spectra is observed within the surf zone with all theoretical frameworks, potentially owing to surf zone vortical motions not yet accounted for in the present methodology. This underestimation of the wave phase velocities results in a relatively large overestimation of the mean water depth, between 30% to 100% depending on the theoretical framework. With the methodology described herein, lidars bring new perspectives for seamlessly mapping the nearshore topo/bathymetry, and its temporal evolution across a wide range of scales. Although currently limited to a single cross-shore transect, we believe that opportunities exist to integrate multiple remote sensors, which could address individual sensor limitations, such as coverage or the incapacity to directly measure waveforms.

17 Mar 2026

Estimating the Value of Virtual Aids to Navigation (VATONs) Deployed by the USACE LOMA Program near Lake Providence, Louisiana

Abstract: The purpose of this US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) technical note (TN) is to estimate the value of a Virtual Aid to Navigation (VATON) as deployed from a mobile trailer by the Lock Operations Management Application (LOMA) program, operated through the ERDC Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory (CHL). Estimates are developed based on the observed vessel traffic that transited the waterway during VATON deployment, historical information about vessel cargo movements and cargo value, and a mobile trailer cost estimate of $50,000.

13 Mar 2026

John H. Overton Lock and Dam, Red River: Lower Navigation Approach Physical Model

Abstract: The US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory (ERDC-CHL) conducted a physical model study of the John H. Overton Lock and Dam to optimize the navigation conditions in the lower lock approach. ERDC built a 1:100 Froude scale model to evaluate the navigation conditions for tows entering and exiting the lower lock approach. The final design consisted of two submerged rock dikes implemented approximately 1,500 and 3,000 ft downstream of the dam’s crest. The larger submerged rock dike was parallel to the channel, located in a scoured area at the downstream end of the riprap channel bed, and contained a crest elevation of approximately 15 ft, North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88). The smaller submerged rock dike extended from the most upstream end of the first rock dike, diagonally crossing the channel to the right-descending bank, and contained a crest elevation of approximately 30 ft, NAVD 88. The model provided data regarding tow tracks, current direction, and velocity information for various possible optimizations to the dam’s lower lock approach.

25 Feb 2026

AIS Analysis of Waterway Utilization Based on Vessel Type and Class

Abstract: The purpose of this technical note (TN) is to provide an overview of a method used to classify waterway segments based on remotely-sensed vessel traffic on those waterway segments. Vessel traffic was evaluated using data from Automatic Identification System (AIS) broadcasts, which originate at transceivers onboard vessels and can be received by terrestrial shore sites or satellites. AIS is used by most ocean-going commercial vessels, while use by inland vessels varies according to domestic regulations.

20 Feb 2026

Overview of the Coastal Storm Model Development and Results for the Deer Island Restoration Study Using the Engineering With Nature® Toolkit

Abstract: The Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory of the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center presents this study as a comprehensive numerical model development and validation approach that can be employed to simulate winds, waves, and water levels during significant storm events for the Deer Island Restoration Project in Mississippi. Leveraging validated storms from the South Atlantic Coastal Study, this research utilized the Coastal Storm Modeling System with the coupled Advanced Circulation (ADCIRC) and Steady-State Spectral Wave (STWAVE) models. As part of this effort, the ADCIRC mesh was updated to encompass the Deer Island region and two variations on elevated water level scenarios were incorporated. Specifically, 10 validated storms were simulated, with varying sea-level conditions, to represent a range of feasibility-level proxy events from a 1- to 10,000-year annual exceedance frequency. The modeling outcomes provide a detailed depiction of water levels, wave heights, and storm surge impacts on Deer Island under different sea-level rise scenarios. These results offer critical insights into the potential effects of the restoration project on Deer Island and the surrounding areas. The findings can inform decision-makers and contribute to formulating effective guidelines for restoration projects within the Mississippi region and in coastal areas facing similar challenges worldwide.

18 Feb 2026

Mesh Convergence Study of Adaptive Hydraulics (AdH) Version 5.9

Abstract: This report details performance and convergence tests of the Adaptive Hydraulics (AdH) v5.9 software suite on the Engineer Research and Development Center ONYX Cray X40/50 supercomputer. In particular, the performance of a recently developed monolithic model coupling AdH framework between the Richards equation for variable groundwater and surface water flows or for overland sloped conditions is studied. The effort is part of a quality assurance test of a recently restructured version of AdH. The report also includes a scalability analysis of AdH on a Cray system.

17 Feb 2026

Advancing Multi-Scale Wave Modeling: Global and Coastal Applications During the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season

Abstract: Using the six-month hurricane season of 2022 as a case study and the spectral wave model WAVEWATCH III, this effort shows that wave parameters produced via a variable-resolution global mesh (5–30 km) agree with a diverse array of validating observational datasets at a level comparable to that of a constant-resolution mesh (3 km) that is six times more costly to run. The optimized variable-resolution, unstructured triangular mesh is faithful to land geometry and wave transformation gradients while relaxing focus in deeper regions where gradients are typically less pronounced. Wave parameters measured via satellite altimetry, stationary buoy networks, and drifting buoys are employed to demonstrate not only a substantial increase in performance over a coarse, constant-resolution grid (40 km), with RMSE reduced from 0.28 m to 0.14 m and Correlation Coefficient (CC) improved from 0.92 to 0.98 overall, but also a comparable level of performance to that of a mesh that has undergone a full convergence analysis. Performance comparisons isolated to shallow regions and near cyclonic storms highlight the importance of resolving relevant geometries. For nearshore data, RMSE improves from 0.29 m to 0.13 m and CC from 0.89 to 0.98; in shallow regions, RMSE from 0.29 m to 0.15 m and CC from 0.88 to 0.97; and under cyclonic conditions, RMSE from 0.62 m to 0.35 m and CC from 0.93 to 0.98. Wave model results using the variable-resolution mesh were further analyzed to provide a detailed summary of the wave climate, including wind-wave and swell partitions, over the six-month study period in the study area.

13 Feb 2026

Standalone Color-Based Bathymetry Over 10 Years at Duck (NC, USA) from Optical Satellite Imagery and Wave Breaking Analysis

Abstract: Coastal hazard forecasting and morphological modeling rely on having accurate and up-to-date nearshore bathymetry. Traditional methods provide high precision but are expensive, complex to deploy, and only cover limited areas, leaving many coastal regions unmapped or under surveyed. In this context, Satellite-Derived Bathymetry provides a more accessible and scalable alternative, enabling frequent and global observations of the nearshore zone. This study applies the color-based log-band ratio method to extract nearshore bathymetry at Duck, North Carolina, a highly dynamic environment with a wide range of turbidity values and wave breaking extents. The log-band ratio method is an empirical approach for estimating shallow-water depths from multispectral satellite imagery which relies on the natural attenuation of light in water column, where the ratio of two spectral bands is logarithmically related to water depth. Unlike traditional SDB approaches, this method relies only on nearshore in situ wave height data, using satellite-detected breaking positions and breaker height-to-depth ratio as depth calibration points. Additionally, an automated approach is used to select images where the green/blue band penetrates sufficiently into the water to retrieve bathymetry avoiding the subjectivity of traditional manual selection. The method is validated through alongshore median- and profile-based assessments, yielding a median RMSE of ∼60 cm. Sensitivity tests on key parameters, including the breaker height-to-depth ratio and the calibration time window, demonstrate that a constant breaker height-to-depth ratio provides reliable results and that a significant number of calibration points is necessary for accurate bathymetry retrieval. This approach retrieves instant bathymetries and allows for the extraction of bathymetry evolution over time, with 90 bathymetry maps available over the 10-year period due to the very high resolution and 2-day revisit VEN𝜇S satellite and the 10-m/5-day Sentinel-2 mission. The method is transferable to other optical satellites such as Landsat, although it should be applied with caution, enabling long-term nearshore bathymetry monitoring from the 1980s to the present.

12 Feb 2026

Numerical Study of Submergence-Induced Forces on a Maintenance Bridge

Abstract: The US Army Engineer Research and Development Center–Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory conducted a numerical study for a proposed maintenance bridge over the Trinity River in downtown Fort Worth, Texas, that will be submerged in flood conditions. The purpose of this study was to determine the hydrodynamic loads on the structure. The study found that, due to a combination of peak velocities and water depth, a return period of 500 yr generates the largest drag forces, while the higher depth and discharge of the standard project flood generate larger lift forces. Two flow structures were observed with shallow submergence: The first resulted in a jet parallel to the deck with a recirculation extending from railing to railing and the second resulted in a plunging jet over the deck with smaller but stronger recirculation. These patterns resulted in significantly different loads on the structure. The study analyzed the bridge’s deck slope to the flow as a possible variable affecting the loads. Observed changes related mostly to the flow pattern predicted for different flow configurations. Finally, it was observed that an open railing provides the best possible conditions in terms of loading; therefore, minimizing the frontal area of the railing is recommended.