Wave Resolved and Averaged Numerical Modelling of UXO Migration
Abstract
One of the critical areas for underwater munition detection and remediation is very shallow water less than 5 m deep. The very shallow water emphasis comes from the fact that munitions are most likely to be encountered by the general public in depths that are suitable for wading, swimming, and scuba diving, with potential encounters more likely in the shallowest water. In many environments there will be occasional to frequent breaking waves in depths from 0.5 m to 3 m. In this region Unexploded Ordnances (UXO) may either bury, remain proud of the seafloor, or become re-exposed. In environments with energetic forcing or steep slopes the UXO may migrate. Numerical modelling of environmental conditions and UXO response is a powerful tool to assess the relative likelihood of these processes. The overall objective of the work was to improve models for hydrodynamic forcing of UXO migration and burial in shallow water surf zone environments. Our work addressed the following questions: - Does the balance between onshore forcing by wave asymmetry and skewness and offshore forcing by return flows control mobile UXO location in the surf-zone? - Are the wave asymmetry, skewness and return flow processes in the surf zone represented by phase averaged models adequately to reproduce observed UXO migration events? - What is the role of morphology (e.g., migration of sandbars) in UXO burial and migration and can this be captured by phase resolving models?
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 21, 2023
- Accession Number
- AD1229790
Entities
People
- Margaret L. Palmsten
- Peter Traykovski
Organizations
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution