
ORRE Wave-Current Flume at University of Massachusetts Amherst
Support Types:
Non-Open Water, Tunnel, Flume, Tank & Basin
Application Areas:
Hydrodynamics
Technology Relevance:
Current, Tidal, Wave
Location: Amherst, MA
Facility Overview
The UMass wave-current flume is part of the Ocean Resources and Renewable Energy (ORRE) Laboratory in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering. The facility can be operated in three modes: as a standalone wave tank, a recirculating current flume, or combined wave and current flume. New capabilities added are a two-DOF actuator system and high speed PIV.
The facility will be ideally suited for experiments such as:
- Wave–current interaction
- Wave–tide interaction
- Scaled tidal turbine testing
- Scaled wave energy converter testing
- Airfoils and hydrofoils – lift and drag measurement
- Net and cage structure testing
- Vortex-induced vibration of structures
- Oscillating structures in uniform current




Facility Capabilities
Turbine hydrodynamics WEC hydrodynamics Indoor wave flume testing Indoor wave tank or basin testing Turbine test platform TC 114 Standards Compliance
1 Facility Capability
- Flume






















































