Wind-wave tunnel helps engineers dive deeper into ocean research

Inside a University of Texas at Dallas lab, researchers have re-created a small-scale ocean environment where they can make waves build, break and crash into one another.

Mechanical flaps in the wind-wave tunnel push nearly 3,000 gallons of water through the 45-foot-long tank, while fans generate wind speeds as high as 90 mph, roughly the speed of a Category 1 hurricane.

While the waves can be heard outside the tunnel, the turbulent conditions are contained within its clear acrylic walls. Elevated above the ground and resembling a very long aquarium, the tunnel is about 6 feet tall and 3 feet wide.

In the dark, under purple lighting, a ribbon of uniform waves puts on a mesmerizing show as researchers capture data using high-speed cameras and lasers.

The wind-wave tunnel allows researchers to conduct controlled experiments to study how the ocean and atmosphere interact. Research conducted in the facility could help improve hurricane forecasting and help scientists understand how wind and waves interact with offshore structures, from solar panels to aquatic robots and unmanned surface vehicles.

“The ocean is an incredibly complex environment, and it’s difficult to isolate individual processes when conditions are constantly changing,” said Dr. Kianoosh Yousefi, assistant professor of mechanical engineering in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. “This facility allows us to re-create those interactions in a controlled environment so we can better understand how wind and waves influence one another.”

Yousefi is studying how sea spray could affect the intensity and evolution of hurricanes. His team has been developing a machine-learning model to improve hurricane forecasting as part of a project supported by an Office of Naval Research 2025 Young Investigator Program award.

The wind-wave tunnel gives students the opportunity to gain experience with experimental techniques to visualize and measure air movement, breaking waves, droplets and bubbles.

Lasers and cameras help researchers make invisible air and water movement visible. Particle image velocimetry tracks tiny tracer particles to map the movement of air and water. Laser-induced fluorescence uses fluorescent dye to visualize the shape and movement of breaking waves. In addition, high-speed cameras and shadowgraphy allow researchers to capture tiny droplets and bubbles generated by waves.

“The nice thing about this facility is that it’s hands-on,” said Moaz Bilto, mechanical engineering doctoral student. “The wind-wave tunnel allows us to understand all aspects of running an actual experiment rather than simulating it on a computer.”

The Flow Dynamics and Turbulence Laboratory at The University of Texas at Dallas welcomes collaborations with university researchers, industry partners and national laboratories.

The facility, which opened this year, is part of the Wind Energy Center, which also includes the Boundary Layer and Subsonic Wind Tunnel.

To discuss possible opportunities, contact Dr. Kianoosh Yousefi at kyousefi@utdallas.edu.