6

The elevation of the bottom is given, the depth of the water is generally an unknown.

The time is denoted by t.

Normal to the bottom and to the free surface:

All points on the free surface are uniquely defined as a function of x, y and t, which precludes
breaking waves. The surface is defined by an equation of the form: z=Z(x,y,t) which may also
be written as:

Φ(x,y,z,t) = 0 with Φ(x,y,z,t) = Ζ(x,y,t) - z.

The normal to the free surface in the positive z direction (outward pointing normal for the
volume of water) can be expressed as the vector n = grad(Φ). The components of this vector
are:

∂Z
∂x
∂Z
n
∂y

-1

Note that the norm of n is not equal to 1.

The normal to the bottom can be expressed similarly by substituting Zf for Z and with a minus
sign to get an outward normal.The bottom is also a function of x and y. A vertical bottom can
only be represented by a steep slope.

Φ which describes the movement of any point on the free surface is always 0 whereby the
derivative dΦ is 0 (this is the Lagrangian approach, which in physical terms means that over a
dt
period of time a particle of water on the free surface remains attached to the surface). By
s
denoting the velocity of a point on the surface by U (composed of Us1 , Us2 et Us3 ), the equation
dΦ = 0 can be rewritten using Euler’s variables as: ∂Z + U s ∂Z + U s ∂Z - U s = 0, which
1 2 3
dt ∂t ∂x ∂y
∂Z s
gives: + U . n= 0
∂t

∂Zf f
At the bottom we obtain similarly: + U . n = 0. The hypotheses of the bottom constant
∂t
over time is not required.
This relation will be used in establishing the equations that describe the impermeability of the
bottom and the free surface.

HE-43/94/052/A TELEMAC-2D version 3.0 août 20, 2001