Bridge decks in Escambia Bay were damaged during the storm surge of Hurricane Ivan in 2004. In this study, a numerical wave-load model based on the incompressible Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes equations and k-ε equations has been used to investigate dynamic wave forces exerted on the bridge deck. The volume of fluid method is adopted in the model to describe dynamic free surface, which is capable of simulating complex discontinuous free surface during wave breaking and wave-deck interactions. The model was satisfactorily tested against experimental data of uplift wave forces on horizontal plates. The validated model was applied to investigate wave forces acting on the bridge deck in Escambia Bay in the case of Hurricane Ivan. The time history of wave profiles, turbulent velocity fields, and dynamic uplift and horizontal forces acting on the full-scale bridge deck were simulated and analyzed. Results indicate that, during the storm surge event of Hurricane Ivan, the maximum uplifting wave forces were lar...

Pressure vessels can greatly protect a water supply pipeline system from water hammer damages. In order to improve the performance of a pressure vessel, a strainer is proposed to compensate the resistance of the connecting pipe. A numerical model and program is established for a pressure vessel with an independent compensation strainer based on the method of characteristics (MOC). Using the proposed model, the hydraulic transient processes are simulated for a pressure vessel with various strainer resistances, and the hydraulic pressure and volume fluctuations are obtained by the proposed model. The influences of resistance on the transient process are analyzed and an optimal approach is suggested to determine the suitable compensation strainer for the pressure vessel. A water hammer protection system is optimized based on the proposed method. The result shows that the compensation strainer can largely affect both positive and negative water hammer pressure. If a suitable strainer is selected based on the proposed approach, the transient surge and extreme pressure distribution will decrease. To some degree, it is simple and convenient to improve a pressure vessel by employing an additional compensation strainer in the pipeline system for water hammer protection.