Development of a turbulent boundary layer after a step from smooth to rough surface

The flow developing downstream of a step change from smooth to rough surface condition is studied in the light of Townsend’s wall similarity hypothesis. Previous studies seem to support the hypothesis for channel and pipe flows, but there are considerable controversies about its application to boundary layers and in particular to surface roughness formed by spanwise bars. It has been suggested that this controversy arises from insufficient separation of scales between the boundary layer thickness and the roughness length scale. An experimental investigation has therefore been undertaken where the flow evolves from a fully developed smooth wall boundary layer at high Reynolds numbers over a step in surface roughness (Re _θ = 13,400 at the step). The flow is mapped through the development of the internal layer until the flow is fully developed over the rough wall. The internal layer is found to grow as δ ∼ X ^0.73, and after about 15 boundary layer thicknesses at the step, the internal layer has reached the outer edge of the incoming layer. At the last rough wall measurement station, the Reynolds number has grown to Re _θ ≈ 32,600 and the ratio of boundary layer to roughness length scales is δ/k ≈ 140. The outer layer differences between the smooth and the rough wall data were found to be sufficiently small to conclude that for this setup the Townsend’s wall similarity hypothesis appears to hold.     

Influence of the surface roughness on the third-order moments of velocity fluctuations

Roughness wall effects in a zero pressure gradient turbulent boundary layers were investigated using hot-wire anemometry. The skewness and diffusion factors of u and v, the longitudinal and normal velocity fluctuations, were measured and represented using wall variables. The results indicate that the wall roughness removes the crossover point between sweep and ejection events to the outer region of the layer for a single Reynolds number Re _θ  > 3,000. This behaviour exhibits that the roughness surface favours the maintaining of sweep events obtained by a quadrant analysis. These results show that communication between the wall region and outer region of a turbulent boundary layer exists and the wall similarity hypothesis for a rough wall is questionable. The effect of the wall roughness on the position of the point crossover from sweep to ejection motions with respect to the wall seems to be the same as that obtained when the Reynolds number is higher. Received: 8 March 2000/Accepted: 15 May 2000     

Effect of Roughness on Wall-Bounded Turbulence

Direct numerical simulation of turbulent incompressible plane-channel flow between a smooth wall and one covered with regular three-dimensional roughness elements is performed. While the impact of roughness on the mean-velocity profile of turbulent wall layers is well understood, at least qualitatively, the manner in which other features are affected, especially in the outer layer, has been more controversial. We compare results from the smooth- and rough-wall sides of the channel for three different roughness heights of h ⁺= 5.4, 10.8, and 21.6 for Re _τ of 400, to isolate the effects of the roughness on turbulent statistics and the instantaneous turbulence structure at large and small scales. We focus on the interaction between the near-wall and outer-layer regions, in particular the extent to which the near-wall behavior influences the flow further away from the surface. Roughness tends to increase the intensity of the velocity and vorticity fluctuations in the inner layer. In the outer layer, although the roughness alters the velocity fluctuations, the vorticity fluctuations are relatively unaffected. The higher-order moments and the energy budgets demonstrate significant differences between the smooth-wall and rough-wall sides in the processes associated with the wall-normal fluxes of the Reynolds shear stresses and turbulence kinetic energy. The length scales and flow dynamics in the roughness sublayer, the spatially inhomogeneous layer within which the flow is directly influenced by the individual roughness elements, are also examined. Alternative mechanisms involved in producing and maintaining near-wall turbulence in rough-wall boundary layers are also considered. We find that the strength of the inner/outer-layer interactions are greatly affected by the size of the roughness elements.     

Some Reynolds number effects on two- and three-dimensional turbulent boundary layers

Experimental data for a two-dimensional (2-D) turbulent boundary layer (TBL) flow and a three-dimensional (3-D) pressure-driven TBL flow outside of a wing/body junction were obtained for an approach Reynolds number based on momentum thickness of Re _θ =23,200. The wing shape had a 3:2 elliptical nose, NACA 0020 profiled tail, and was mounted on a flat wall. Some Reynolds number effects are examined using fine spatial resolution (Δy ⁺=1.8) three-velocity-component laser-Doppler velocimeter measurements of mean velocities and Reynolds stresses at nine stations for Re _θ =23,200 and previously reported data for a much thinner boundary layer at Re _θ =5,940 for the same wing shape. In the 3-D boundary layers, while the stress profiles vary considerably along the flow due to deceleration, acceleration, and skewing, profiles of the parameter correlate well and over available Reynolds numbers. The measured static pressure variations on the flat wall are similar for the two Reynolds numbers, so the vorticity flux and the measured mean velocities scaled on wall variables agree closely near the wall. The stresses vary similarly for both cases, but with higher values in the outer region of the higher Re _θ case. The outer layer turbulence in the thicker high Reynolds number case behaves similarly to a rapid distortion of the flow, since stream-wise vortical effects from the wall have not diffused completely through the boundary layer at all measurement stations. Received: 9 June 2000/Accepted: 26 January 2001     

A turbulent boundary layer over a two-dimensional rough wall

Particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements and planar laser induced fluorescence (PLIF) visualizations have been made in a turbulent boundary layer over a rough wall. The wall roughness consisted of square bars placed transversely to the flow at a pitch to height ratio of λ/k = 11 for the PLIF experiments and λ/k = 8 and 16 for the PIV measurements. The ratio between the boundary layer thickness and the roughness height k/δ was about 20 for the PLIF and 38 for the PIV. Both the PLIF and PIV data showed that the near-wall region of the flow was populated by unstable quasi-coherent structures which could be associated to shear layers originating at the trailing edge of the roughness elements. The streamwise mean velocity profile presented a downward shift which varied marginally between the two cases of λ/k, in agreement with previous measurements and DNS results. The data indicated that the Reynolds stresses normalized by the wall units are higher for the case λ/k = 16 than those for λ/k = 8 in the outer region of the flow, suggesting that the roughness density effects could be felt well beyond the near-wall region of the flow. As expected the roughness disturbed dramatically the sublayer which in turn altered the turbulence production mechanism. The turbulence production is maximum at a distance of about 0.5k above the roughness elements. When normalized by the wall units, the turbulence production is found to be smaller than that of a smooth wall. It is argued that the production of turbulence is correlated with the form drag.     

Transient growth in the asymptotic suction boundary layer

In the present experimental setup, the transient disturbance growth in a spatially invariant boundary layer flow, i.e., the asymptotic suction boundary layer (ASBL), has been investigated. The choice of the ASBL brings along several advantages compared with an ordinary spatially growing boundary layer. A unique feature of the ASBL is that the Reynolds number (Re) can be varied without changing the boundary layer thickness, which in turn allows for parameter variations not possible to carry out in traditional boundary layer flows. A spanwise array of discrete surface roughness elements was mounted on the surface to trigger modes with different spanwise wavenumbers (β). It is concluded that for each mode there exists a threshold roughness Reynolds number (Re _k ), below which no significant transient growth is present. The experimental data suggests that this threshold Re _k is both a function of β and Re. An interesting result is that the energy growth curves respond differently to a change in Re _k when caused by a change in roughness height k, implying that Re remains constant, compared with a change in the free-stream velocity U_￥U_\infty, which also affects the Re. The scaling of the energy growth curves both in level and the downstream direction is treated and appropriate scalings are found. The result shows a complex non-linear receptivity mechanism. Optimal perturbation theory, which has failed to predict the energy evolution in growing boundary layers, is tested for the ASBL and shows that it may satisfactorily predict the evolution of all transiently growing modes that are triggered by the roughness elements.     

Upstream roughness and Reynolds number effects on turbulent flow structure over forward facing step

This paper presents results of experiments conducted to investigate the effects of Reynolds number and upstream wall roughness on the turbulence structure in the recirculation and recovery regions of a smooth forward facing step. A reference smooth upstream wall and a rough upstream wall made from sand gains were studied. For the smooth upstream wall, experiments were conducted at Reynolds number based on the freestream velocity and step height (h), Re_h = 4940, 8400 and 8650. The rough wall experiments was performed at Re_h = 5100, 8200 and 8600 to closely match the corresponding Re_h experiment over the smooth wall. The reattachment lengths in the smooth wall experiments were L_r/h ≈ 2.2, but upstream roughness significantly reduced these values to L_r/h ≈ 1.3. The integral scales within the recirculation bubbles were independent of upstream roughness and Reynolds number; however, upstream roughness significantly increased the spatial coherence and integral scales outside the recirculation bubbles and in the recovery region. Irrespective of the upstream wall condition, the redeveloping boundary layer recovered at 25h from reattachment.     

Characterizing developing adverse pressure gradient flows subject to surface roughness

An experimental study was conducted to examine the effects of surface roughness and adverse pressure gradient (APG) on the development of a turbulent boundary layer. Hot-wire anemometry measurements were carried out using single and X-wire probes in all regions of a developing APG flow in an open return wind tunnel test section. The same experimental conditions (i.e., T _∞, U _ref, and C _p) were maintained for smooth, k ⁺ = 0, and rough, k ⁺ = 41–60, surfaces with Reynolds number based on momentum thickness, 3,000 < Re _θ < 40,000. The experiment was carefully designed such that the x-dependence in the flow field was known. Despite this fact, only a very small region of the boundary layer showed a balance of the various terms in the integrated boundary layer equation. The skin friction computed from this technique showed up to a 58% increase due to the surface roughness. Various equilibrium parameters were studied and the effect of roughness was investigated. The generated flow was not in equilibrium according to the Clauser (J Aero Sci 21:91–108, 1954) definition due to its developing nature. After a development region, the flow reached the equilibrium condition as defined by Castillo and George (2001), where Λ = const, is the pressure gradient parameter. Moreover, it was found that this equilibrium condition can be used to classify developing APG flows. Furthermore, the Zagarola and Smits (J Fluid Mech 373:33–79, 1998a) scaling of the mean velocity deficit, U _∞δ*/δ, can also be used as a criteria to classify developing APG flows which supports the equilibrium condition of Castillo and George (2001). With this information a ‘full APG region’ was defined.     

Stereoscopic PIV measurements of a turbulent boundary layer with a large spatial dynamic range

The flow in a streamwise/wall-normal plane of a turbulent boundary layer at moderate Reynolds number (Re _θ = 2,200) is characterized using two stereo PIV systems just overlapping in the streamwise direction. The aim is to generate SPIV data for near-wall turbulence with enough spatial dynamic range to resolve most of the coherent structures present in the flow and to facilitate future comparisons with direct numerical simulations. This is made possibly through the use of four cameras with large CCD arrays (4,008 px × 2,672 px) and through a rigorous experimental procedure designed to minimize the impact of measurement noise on the resolution of the small scales. For the first time, both a large field of view [S _x ; S _y ] = [2.6δ; 0.75δ] and a high spatial resolution (with an interrogation window size of 13.6⁺) have been achieved. The quality of the data is assessed through an analysis of some of the statistical results such as the mean velocity profile, the rms and the PDF of the fluctuations, and the power spectra.     

Flow over periodic hills: an experimental study

Two-dimensional flow over periodically arranged hills was investigated experimentally in a water channel. Two-dimensional particle image velocimetry (PIV) and one-dimensional laser Doppler anemometry (LDA) measurements were undertaken at four Reynolds numbers ( \text5,600 ￡ Re ￡ \text37,000\text{5,600} \le Re \le \text{37,000}). Two-dimensional PIV field measurements were thoroughly validated by means of point-by-point 1D LDA measurements at certain positions of the flow. A detailed study of the periodicity and the homogeneity was undertaken, which demonstrates that the flow can be regarded as two-dimensional and periodic for Re 3 \text10,000Re \ge \text{10,000}. We found a decreasing reattachment length with increasing Reynolds number. This is connected to a higher momentum in the near-wall zone close to flow separation which comes from the velocity speed up above the obstacle. This leads to a velocity overshoot directly above the hill crest which increases with Reynolds number as the inner layer depth decreases. The flow speed up above that layer is independent of the Reynolds number which supports the assumption of inviscid flow disturbance in the outer layer usually made in asymptotic theory for flow over small hills.     

LES and RANS for Turbulent Flow over Arrays of Wall-Mounted Obstacles

Large-eddy simulation (LES) has been applied to calculate the turbulent flow over staggered wall-mounted cubes and staggered random arrays of obstacles with area density 25%, at Reynolds numbers between 5 × 10³ and 5 10⁶, based on the free stream velocity and the obstacle height. Re = 5 × 10³ data were intensively validated against direct numerical simulation (DNS) results at the same Re and experimental data obtained in a boundary layer developing over an identical roughness and at a rather higher Re. The results collectively confirm that Reynolds number dependency is very weak, principally because the surface drag is predominantly form drag and the turbulence production process is at scales comparable to the roughness element sizes. LES is thus able to simulate turbulent flow over the urban-like obstacles at high Re with grids that would be far too coarse for adequate computation of corresponding smooth-wall flows. Comparison between LES and steady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) results are included, emphasising that the latter are inadequate, especially within the canopy region.     

Velocity-defect scaling for turbulent boundary layers with a range of relative roughness

Velocity profile measurements in zero pressure gradient, turbulent boundary layer flow were made on a smooth wall and on two types of rough walls with a wide range of roughness heights. The ratio of the boundary layer thickness (δ) to the roughness height (k) was 16≤δ/k≤110 in the present study, while the ratio of δ to the equivalent sand roughness height (k _s) ranged from 6≤δ/k _s≤91. The results show that the mean velocity profiles for all the test surfaces agree within experimental uncertainty in velocity-defect form in the overlap and outer layer when normalized by the friction velocity obtained using two different methods. The velocity-defect profiles also agree when normalized with the velocity scale proposed by Zagarola and Smits (J Fluid Mech 373:33–70, 1998). The results provide evidence that roughness effects on the mean flow are confined to the inner layer, and outer layer similarity of the mean velocity profile applies even for relatively large roughness.     

Reynolds-number-dependence of the maximum in the streamwise velocity fluctuations in wall turbulence

A survey is made of the standard deviation of the streamwise velocity fluctuations in near-wall turbulence and in particular of the Reynolds-number-dependency of its peak value. The following canonical flow geometries are considered: an incompressible turbulent boundary layer under zero pressure gradient, a fully developed two-dimensional channel and a cylindrical pipe flow. Data were collected from 47 independent experimental and numerical studies, which cover a Reynolds number range of R _θ=U _∞ θ/v=300−20,920 for the boundary layer with θ the momentum thickness and R ⁺=u _*R/v=100-4,300 for the internal flows with R the pipe radius or the channel half-width. It is found that the peak value of the rms-value normalised by the friction velocity, u _*, is within statistical errors independent of the Reynolds number. The most probable value for this parameter was found to be 2.71±0.14 and 2.70±0.09 for the case of a boundary layer and an internal flow, respectively. The present survey also includes some data of the streamwise velocity fluctuations measured over a riblet surface. We find no significant difference in magnitude of the normalised peak value between the riblet and smooth surfaces and this property of the normalised peak value may for instance be exploited to estimate the wall shear stress from the streamwise velocity fluctuations. We also consider the skewness of the streamwise velocity fluctuations and find its value to be close to zero at the position where the variance has its peak value. This is explained with help of the equations of the third-order moment of velocity fluctuations. These results for the peak value of the rms of the streamwise velocity fluctuations and also the coincidence of this peak with the zero value of the third moment can be interpreted as confirmation of local equilibrium in the near-wall layer, which is the basis of inner-layer scaling. Furthermore, these results can be also used as a requirement which turbulence models for the second and triple velocity correlations should satisfy. The authors are indebted to Prof. P. Bradshaw for making available his list of references on this topic and for his remarks on “active” and “inactive” motions. We also gratefully acknowledge discussions with Prof. I. Castro regarding the value of σ _u ⁺ above rough walls.     

Turbulent flow over a rough backward-facing step

This work characterizes the impacts of the realistic roughness due to deposition of foreign materials on the turbulent flows at surface transition from elevated rough-wall to smooth-wall. High resolution PIV measurements were performed in the streamwise-wall-normal (x–y) planes at two different spanwise positions in both smooth and rough backward-facing step flows. The experiment conditions were set at a Reynolds number of 3450 based on the free stream velocity U_∞ and the mean step height h, expansion ratio of 1.01, and the ratio of incoming boundary layer thickness to the step height, δ/h, of 8. The mean flow structures are observed to be modified by the roughness and they illustrate three-dimensional features in rough backward-facing step flows. The mean reattachment length X_r is significantly reduced by the roughness at one PIV measurement position while is slightly increased by the different roughness topography at the other measurement position. The mean velocity profiles at the reattachment point indicate that the studied roughness weakens the perturbation of the step to the incoming turbulent flow. Comparisons of Reynolds normal and shear stresses, productions of normal stresses, quadrant analysis of the instantaneous shear-stress contributing events, and mean spanwise vorticity reveal that the turbulence in the separated shear layer is reduced by the studied roughness. The results also indicate an earlier separation of the turbulent boundary layer over the current rough step, probably due to the adverse pressure gradient produced by the roughness topography even before the step.     

The effect of a systematic change in surface roughness skewness on turbulence and drag

Previous work by the authors (Flack and Schultz, 2010) has identified the root-mean-square roughness height, k_rms, and the skewness, Sk, of the surface elevation distribution as important parameters in scaling the skin-friction drag on rough surfaces. In this study, three surfaces are tested in turbulent boundary layer flow at a friction Reynolds number, Re_τ = 1600–2200. All the surfaces have similar root-mean-square roughness height, while the skewness is varied. Measurements are presented using both two-component LDV and PIV. The results show the anticipated trend of increasing skin-friction drag with increasing skewness. The largest increase in drag occurs going from negative skewness to zero skewness with a more modest increase going from zero to positive skewness. Some differences in the mean velocity and Reynolds stress profiles are observed for the three surfaces. However, these differences are confined to a region close to the rough surface, and the mean velocity and Reynolds stress profiles collapse away from the wall when scaled in outer variables. The turbulence structure as documented through two-point spatial correlations of velocity is also observed to be very similar over the three surfaces. These results support Townsend’s (1976) concept of outer-layer similarity that the wall boundary condition exerts no direct influence on the turbulence structure away from the wall except in setting the velocity and length scales for the outer layer.     

Spatial resolution correction for hot-wire anemometry in wall turbulence

We investigate spatial resolution issues in hot-wire anemometry measurements of turbulence intensity and energy spectra. Single normal hot-wire measurements are simulated by means of filtering direct numerical simulation (DNS) of turbulent channel flow at Re_t = 934Re_\tau = 934. Through analysis of the two-dimensional energy spectra from the DNS, the attenuation of the small-scale energy levels is documented, especially in the near-wall region. The missing energy displays anisotropic characteristics, and an attempt is made to model this using an empirical equation, thus providing a correction scheme for all wall normal locations. The empirical model is assessed using experimental boundary layer data and shown to effectively correct both the streamwise one-dimensional energy spectra and turbulence intensity at a Reynolds number significantly above that of the DNS.     

Outer layer similarity in fully rough turbulent boundary layers

Turbulent boundary layer measurements were made on a flat plate covered with uniform spheres and also on the same surface with the addition of a finer-scale grit roughness. The measurements were carried out in a closed return water tunnel, over a momentum thickness Reynolds number (Re) range of 3,000–15,000, using a two-component, laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV). The results show that the mean profiles for all the surfaces collapse well in velocity defect form. Using the maximum peak to trough height (R_t) as the roughness length scale (k), the roughness functions (U⁺) for both surfaces collapse, indicating that roughness texture has no effect on U⁺. The Reynolds stresses for the two rough surfaces also show good agreement throughout the entire boundary layer and collapse with smooth wall results outside of the roughness sublayer. Quadrant analysis and the velocity triple products show changes in the rough wall boundary layers that are confined to y<8k_s, where k_s is the equivalent sand roughness height. The present results provide support for Townsends wall similarity hypothesis for uniform three-dimensional roughness. However, departures from wall similarity may be observed for rough surfaces where 5k_s is large compared to the thickness of the inner layer.     

Oscillating flow in a 2-D diffuser

Separating oscillating flows in an internal, adverse pressure gradient geometry are studied experimentally. Simultaneous velocity and pressure measurements demonstrate that the minor losses associated with oscillating flow in an adverse pressure gradient geometry can be smaller or larger than those for steady flow. Separation is found to begin high in the diffuser and propagate downward. The flow is able to remain attached further into the diffuser with larger Reynolds numbers, small displacement amplitudes, and smaller diffuser angles. The extent of separation grows with L ₀/h. The minor losses grow with increasing displacement amplitude in the measured range 10 < L ₀/h < 40. Losses decrease with increasing Re _δ in the measured range of 380 < Re _δ < 740. It is found that the losses increase with increasing diffuser angle over the measured range of 12° < θ < 30°. The nondimensional acoustic power dissipation increases with Reynolds number in the measured range and decreases with displacement amplitude.     

Comparison of turbulent channel and pipe flows with varying Reynolds number

Single normal hot-wire measurements of the streamwise component of velocity were taken in fully developed turbulent channel and pipe flows for matched friction Reynolds numbers ranging from 1,000 ≤ Re _τ ≤ 3,000. A total of 27 velocity profile measurements were taken with a systematic variation in the inner-scaled hot-wire sensor length l ⁺ and the hot-wire length-to-diameter ratio (l/d). It was observed that for constant l ⁺ = 22 and l/d >~200l/d \gtrsim 200, the near-wall peak in turbulence intensity rises with Reynolds number in both channels and pipes. This is in contrast to Hultmark et al. in J Fluid Mech 649:103–113, (2010), who report no growth in the near-wall peak turbulence intensity for pipe flow with l ⁺ = 20. Further, it was found that channel and pipe flows have very similar streamwise velocity statistics and energy spectra over this range of Reynolds numbers, with the only difference observed in the outer region of the mean velocity profile. Measurements where l ⁺ and l/d were systematically varied reveal that l ⁺ effects are akin to spatial filtering and that increasing sensor size will lead to attenuation of an increasingly large range of small scales. In contrast, when l/d was insufficient, the measured energy is attenuated over a very broad range of scales. These findings are in agreement with similar studies in boundary layer flows and highlight the need to carefully consider sensor and anemometry parameters when comparing flows across different geometries and when drawing conclusions regarding the Reynolds number dependency of measured turbulence statistics. With an emphasis on accuracy, measurement resolution and wall proximity, these measurements are taken at comparable Reynolds numbers to currently available DNS data sets of turbulent channel/pipe flows and are intended to serve as a database for comparison between physical and numerical experiments.     

Effect of different sized transverse square grooves on a turbulent boundary layer

The effect of three different sized transverse square grooves (5, 10, and 20 mm) on a turbulent boundary layer was investigated at two values of momentum thickness Reynolds numbers (R _θ =1,000 and 3,000) using hot-wire anemometry. The ratios of the groove depth to the boundary layer thickness (d/δ ₀) are approximately 0.07, 0.13, and 0.27. Wall shear stress (τ _w), mean velocity (U), and turbulence intensity downstream of the grooves are compared to those on a corresponding smooth wall The effects of the grooves are more significant at the higher R _θ , with the most pronounced effects caused by the largest size groove. There is an increase in mean velocity (U), streamwise (u′/U ₀), and wall-normal (ν′/U ₀) turbulence intensities in the near-wall region immediately downstream of the grooves. The increase propagates outwards in the layer as the streamwise distance increases downstream of the grooves. The increase in ν′/U ₀ is much more significant than that of u′/U ₀, which is also evident in the spectra of u′ and ν′. There is an increase in τ _w over the smooth wall value immediately downstream of the grooves at R _θ =1,000, with the increase being more pronounced as the groove size increases. The growth of the internal layer downstream of the grooves is found to scale with the groove size, and is more rapid at R _θ =3,000. Published online: 23 November 2002