J. Ocean Univ.

China (Oceanic and Coastal Sea Research)

Doctor Forum

DOI 10.1007/s11802-011-1788-3
ISSN 1672-5182, 2011 10 (1): 1-8
http://www.ouc.edu.cn/xbywb/
E-mail:xbywb@ouc.edu.cn

A FVCOM-Based Unstructured Grid Wave, Current, Sediment

Transport Model, I. Model Description and Validation
WU Lunyu1), 2), CHEN Changsheng3), 4), GUO Peifang1), *, SHI Maochong1), QI Jianhua3),
and GE Jianzhong4)
1) Physical Oceanography Laboratory, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, P. R. China
2) First Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Qingdao 266061, P. R. China
3) School for Marine Science and Technology, University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA
4) State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, P. R. China
(Received July 15, 2010; revised September 25, 2010; accepted October 29, 2010)
Ocean University of China, Science Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010

Abstract An effort was made to couple FVCOM (a three-dimensional (3D), unstructured grid, Finite Volume
Coastal Ocean Model) and FVCOM-SWAVE (an unstructured grid, finite-volume surface wave model) for the
study of nearshore ocean processes such as tides, circulation, storm surge, waves, sediment transport, and morphological evolution. The coupling between FVCOM and FVCOM-SWAVE was achieved through incorporating
3D radiation stress, wave-current-sediment-related bottom boundary layer, sea surface stress parameterizations,
and morphology process. FVCOM also includes a 3D sediment transport module. With accurate fitting of irregular coastlines, the model provides a unique tool to study sediment dynamics in coastal ocean, estuaries, and wetlands where local geometries are characterized by inlets, islands, and intertidal marsh zones. The model was validated by two standard benchmark tests: 1) spectral waves approaching a mild sloping beach and 2) morphological
changes of seabed in an idealized tidal inlet. In Test 1, model results were compared with both analytical solutions
and laboratory experiments. A further comparison was also made with the structured grid Regional Ocean Model
System (ROMS), which provides an insight into the performance of the two models with the same open boundary
forcing.
Key words FVCOM; coupling; radiation stress; wave-current-sediment-related bottom boundary layer; morphology

* Corresponding author. Tel: 0086-532-82032759

E-mail: pfguo@ouc.edu.cn

WU et al. / J. Ocean Univ. China (Oceanic and Coastal Sea Research) 2011 10 (1): 1-8

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