Predictive near-wall modelling for turbulent boundary layers with arbitrary pressure gradients

The mean flow in a turbulent boundary layer (TBL) deviates from the canonical law of the wall (LoW) when influenced by a pressure gradient. Consequently, LoW-based near-wall treatments are inadequate for such flows. Chen et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 970, 2023, A3) derived a Navier–Stokes-based velocity transformation that accurately describes the mean flow in TBLs with arbitrary pressure gradients. However, this transformation requires information on total shear stress, which is not always readily available, limiting its predictive power. In this work, we invert the transformation and develop a predictive near-wall model. Our model includes an additional transport equation that tracks the Lagrangian integration of the total shear stress. Particularly noteworthy is that the model introduces no new parameters and requires no calibration. We validate the developed model against experimental and computational data in the literature, and the results are favourable. Furthermore, we compare our model with equilibrium models. These equilibrium models inevitably fail when there are strong pressure gradients, but they prove to be sufficient for boundary layers subjected to weak, moderate and even moderately high pressure gradients. These results compel us to conclude that history effects in mean flow, which negatively impact the validity of equilibrium models, can largely be accounted for by the material time derivative term and the pressure gradient term, both of which require no additional modelling.

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Work Title Predictive near-wall modelling for turbulent boundary layers with arbitrary pressure gradients
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Open Access
Creators
  1. Xiang I. A. Yang
  2. Peng E.S. Chen
  3. Wen Zhang
  4. Robert Kunz
Keyword
  1. Turbulence modelling
  2. Turbulent boundary layers
License CC BY 4.0 (Attribution)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. Journal of Fluid Mechanics
Publication Date September 13, 2024
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2024.565
Deposited May 17, 2025

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Version 1
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  • Created
  • Added Final_Appeared-4.pdf
  • Added Creator Xiang Yang
  • Added Creator Peng E.S. Chen
  • Added Creator Wen Zhang
  • Added Creator Robert Kunz
  • Published
  • Updated
  • Updated Keyword Show Changes
    Keyword
    • turbulence modelling, Turbulent boundary layers
  • Renamed Creator Xiang I. A. Yang Show Changes
    • Xiang Yang
    • Xiang I. A. Yang
  • Updated Creator Peng E.S. Chen
  • Updated Creator Wen Zhang
  • Updated Keyword Show Changes
    Keyword
    • turbulence modelling, Turbulent boundary layers
    • Turbulence modelling, Turbulent boundary layers