FLOW ANALYSIS OF GROWTH PROCESS IN TURBIDITY FRONT LEADING TO AN EQUILIBRIUM STATE DURING LONG PROPAGATION

Abstract

 Turbidity currents in growth process to equilibrium are analyzed using OpenFOAM. The Smagorinsky model of LES is used as the turbulence model. The variations of the travel speed, the maximum thickness of turbidity fronts and the maximum concentration of turbidity currents are obtained from numerical results. Numerical results show that the accelerating turbidity fronts eventually reaches an equilibrium state as it flows over a long propagation. After reaching an equilibrium state, turbidity fronts repeatedly increases and decreases in travel speed and maximum thickness, while its average value remains constant.