Abstract: The present paper and its companion (Higuera et al., 2012) introduce OpenFOAM® as a tool to consider for coastal engineering applications as it solves 3D domains and considers two-phase flow. In this first paper, OpenFOAM® utilities are presented and the free surface flow solvers are analysed. The lack of specific boundary conditions for realistic wave generation is overcome with their implementation combined with active wave absorption. Wave generation includes all the widely used theories plus specific piston-type wavemaker replication. Also standalone active wave absorption implementation is explained for several formulations, all of which are applicable to 3D cases. Active wave absorption is found to enhance stability by decreasing the energy of the system and to correct the increasing water level on long simulations. Furthermore, it is advantageous with respect to dissipation zones such as sponge layers, as it does not increase the computational domain. The results vary depending on the theory (2D, Quasi-3D and 3D) but overall performance of the implemented methods is very good. The simulations and results of the present paper are purely theoretical. Comparisons with laboratory data are presented in the second paper (Higuera et al., 2012).

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