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Numerical Simulation of Turbidity Currents: A Progress Report on Development and Applications*

By

Christopher S. Lerch1, Moshe Strauss2, Eckart Meiburg3, Ben Kneller4, Michael E. Glinsky1,
Stanislav Kuzmin1, and Brendon Hall3

 

Search and Discovery Article #40209 (2006)

Posted August 29, 2006

 

*Oral presentation at AAPG Annual Convention, Houston, Texas, April 9-12, 2006

 

Click to view presentation in PDF format.

 

1BHPBilliton Petroleum Inc, Houston, TX ([email protected])

2NRCN - Israel

3University of California, Santa Barbara, CA

4University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom

 

Abstract 

For the last three years BHPBilliton has funded work on the numerical simulation of turbidity currents. This was based on initial work done by Eckart Meiburg and others on a single flow, single grain size current over a flat topography. Through this effort BHPBilliton can now simulate in house multiple flow, multi-grain size currents over any topography. We can also generate detailed graphical displays of the flow dynamics as well as the shape, architecture, grain size, and sorting of the resulting deposit.  

Currently the standard simulations run in 2D but previous code has 3D capability and this is being further pursued in a more refined proof of concept model. In addition, large eddy simulations are being tested as an approximation of the current direct numerical simulations in order to decrease expected 3D run times. Examples of various 2D simulations including some done for specific business applications will be shown as well as some of the background theory and learnings behind the work.

 

Selected Figures 

Single grain size, single flow over a flat surface. (Also see Necker et al.,  2002.)

Right click to download movie (14.9 mb)

Multi-grain size, multi-flow over 2D topography: erosion and resuspension incorporated.

Right click to download movie (101.9 mb).

Effect of slope angle and multiple grain sizes . . . lead to characteristic differences in flow deposit.

Flow over realistic and user-definable topography.

Right click to download left-most movie (7.9 mb); right click to download right-most movie (4.5 mb).

Real world example of intra-basinal high bedforms? – Le Ruch onlap, Gres d’Annot (courtesy of Gill Apps)

2D canyon traverse (time, flattened on top fill, stretched vertically.

Detailed numerical simulation (DNS) vs. large eddy simulation (LES)

Right click to download upper movie (1.3 mb); right click to download lower movie (1.3 mb).

 

Reference 

Necker, F., C. Härtel, L. Kleiser, and E. Meiburg, 2002, High-resolution simulations of particle-driven gravity currents: Int. Jour. Multiphase Flow, v. 28, p. 279-300.