CFD contributions to high-speed shock-related problems

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has contributed extensively to high speed shock-wave research. With study examples by the author’s group in the past, effectiveness of CFD both for design of transportation vehicles and for understanding of fluid physics is discussed. Trends of CFD for further use are then discussed based on recent applications and three key features: computer progress, spectral-like high-resolution schemes and LES and LES/RANS hybrid methods are focused. Recent CFD research reveals that high-speed flows, even the ones considered to be steady state have inherently unsteady nature that requires LES-like computations for successful simulations. Such simulations require remarkably higher grid resolution, but emerging numerical techniques having spectral-like high resolution would help reducing the number of grid points required for such simulations and make them feasible. The paper is summarized by addressing issues of future CFD.