On physical and numerical resonances for water wave problems using the dual boundary element method

Abstract

Scattering problems of water waves impinging on bottom-mounted vertical cylinders are solved by using the dual boundary element method (DBEM). Both resonances due to near-trapped mode (physics) and fictitious frequency (mathematics) are examined. It is found that the near-trapped mode is a physical phenomenon and the fictitious frequency stems from the numerical instability. A trapped mode is associated with a singularity that lies on the real axis of complex wave number. A near-trapped mode means a localized behavior that energy is trapped in a truncated periodical structure. Critical wave number for the near-trapped mode and fictitious frequency of numerical instability are detected in this work. Numerical oscillation of the resultant force near the fictitious frequency is also observed by using the DBEM. Fictitious frequencies depend on the formulation instead of the specified boundary condition. Both the Burton and Miller approach and the CHIEF method are employed to alleviate the problem of irregular frequencies. Highly rank-deficiency matrices for four identical cylinders are numerically examined and the rank is promoted by adding valid CHIEF constraints. Parameter study of spacing and radius of cylinders on the near-trapped mode and fictitious frequency is also addressed. Several examples of water wave interaction by circular and square cylinders are demonstrated to see the validity of the present formulation.