Supplementary Boundary-Layer Approximations for Turbulent Flow

Abstract

Approximations for total stress τ and mean velocity u are developed in this paper for transpired turbulent boundary layer flows. These supplementary boundary-layer approximations are tested for a wide range of near equilibrium flows and are incorporated into an inner law method for evaluating the mean wall shear stress τ 0 . The testing of the proposed approximations for τ and u indicates good agreement with well-documented data for moderate rates of blowing and suction and pressure gradient. These evaluations also reveal limitations in the familiar logarithmic law that has traditionally been used in the determination of wall shear stress for non-transpired boundary-layer flows. The calculations for τ 0 obtained by the inner law method developed in this paper are found to be consistent with results obtained by the modern Reynolds stress method for a broad range of near equilibrium conditions. However, the use of the proposed inner law method in evaluating the mean wall shear stress for early classic near equilibrium flow brings to question the reliability of the results for τ 0 reported for adverse pressure gradient flows in the 1968 Stanford Conference Proceedings.