Numerical Simulation of Tidal Current and Sediment Movement in the Sea Area near Weifang Port

This paper uses the finite-volume community ocean model (FVCOM) coupled with the simulating waves nearshore (SWAN) in a wave-current-sediment model to simulate the tidal current field, wave field, and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) field in the sea area near Weifang Port, China. The three-dimensional water-and-sediment model was modified by introducing a sediment-settling-velocity formula that considers the effect of gradation. Next, the SSCs calculated by the original and modified models were compared with the measured data. The SSCs calculated by the modified model were closer to the measured data, as evidenced by the smaller mean relative error and root-mean-square error. The results show that the modified coupled wave-current-sediment model can reasonably describe the hydrodynamic characteristics and sediment movement in the sea area near Weifang Port, and the nearshore SSCs calculated by the modified model were higher than those calculated by the original model.

Automated summary

This paper utilizes the FVCOM-SWAN wave-current-sediment model to simulate the tidal current, wave, and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) in the sea area near Weifang Port, China. By introducing a modified sediment-settling-velocity formula, the SSCs calculated by the modified model are shown to be closer to the measured data compared to the original model. The results indicate that the modified model can effectively describe the hydrodynamic characteristics and sediment movement in the study area.