Multiple level finite element analysis and its applications to tidal current flow in Tokyo Bay

A finite element method for the analysis of a one level and a multiple level current flow is presented. The basic equations can be derived from the three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations under the shallow water assumptions. The standard finite element method has been introduced using the linear interpolation function based on a triangular finite element. For each level, the finite element subdivisions are not required to be coincident. To integrate the discretized equations numerically in time, an improved two step explicit scheme is employed. The multiple level finite element method is applied to a tidal flow analysis of Tokyo Bay.The multiple level tidal flow analysis is performed at the entrance channel of Tokyo Bay. The density of water is assumed to be constant for each level. The vertical profiles of the numerical velocity are compared with those of the observed velocity. The flow directions and the order of velocity are both well in agreement with the observed data. The tidal flow pattern in Tokyo Bay has been shown to be expressed by the multiple level flow assuming that the density of seawater is levelwise constant.The numerical tidal flow computation of Tokyo Bay carried out using a one level model is compared with observed data. The one level numerical values will be used to specify the boundary conditions for the multiple level analysis. Both numerical and observed results correspond extremely well in this computation. The two dominant circulated residual flows have been computed, and they coincide with the observed facts.