Experimental investigation on tunnel sonic boom

Upon the entrance of a high-speed train into a relatively long train tunnel, compression waves are generated in front of the train. These compression waves subsequently coalesce into a weak shock wave so that a unpleasant sonic boom is emitted from the tunnel exit. In order to investigate the generation of the weak shock wave in train tunnels and the emission of the resulting sonic boom from the train tunnel exit and to search for methods for the reduction of these sonic booms, a 1300 scaled train tunnel simulator was constructed and simulation experiments were carried out using this facility.In the train tunnel simulator, an 18 mm dia. and 200 mm long plastic piston moves along a 40 mm dia. and 25 m long test section with speed ranging from 60 to 100 m/s. The tunnel simulator was tilted 8° to the floor so that the attenuation of the piston speed was not more than 10 % of its entrance speed. Pressure measurements along the tunnel simulator and holographic interferometric optical flow visualization of weak shock waves in the tunnel simulator clearly showed that compression waves, with propagation, coalesced into a weak shock wave. Although, for reduction of the sonic boom in prototype train tunnels, the installation of a hood at the entrance of the tunnels was known to be useful for their suppression, this effect was confirmed in the present experiment and found to be effective particularly for low piston speeds. The installation of a partially perforated wall at the exit of the tunnel simulator was found to smear pressure gradients at the shock. This effect is significant for higher piston speeds. Throughout the series of train tunnel simulator experiments, the combination of both the entrance hood and the perforated wall significantly reduces shock overpressures for piston speeds ofu _p ranging from 60 to 100 m/s. These experimental findings were then applied to a real train tunnel and good agreement was obtained between the tunnel simulator result and the real tunnel measurements.     

Shock wave propagation in a branched duct

The propagation of a planar shock wave in a 90° branched duct is studied experimentally and numerically. It is shown that the interaction of the transmitted shock wave with the branching segment results in a complex, two-dimensional unsteady flow. Multiple shock wave reflections from the duct's walls cause weakening of transmitted waves and, at late times, an approach to an equilibrium, one-dimensional flow. While at most places along the branched duct walls calculated pressures are lower than that existing behind the original incident shock wave, at the branching segment's right corner, where a head on-collision between the transmitted wave and the corner is experienced, pressures that are significantly higher than those existing behind the original incident shock wave are encountered. The numerically evaluated pressures can be accepted with confidence, due to the very good agreement found between experimental and numerical results with respect to the geometry of the complex wave pattern observed inside the branched duct. Received 15 July 1996 / Accepted 20 February 1997     

Near-wall imaging using toluene-based planar laser-induced fluorescence in shock tube flow

A quantitative thermometry technique, based on planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF), was applied to image temperature fields immediately next to walls in shock tube flows. Two types of near-wall flows were considered: the side wall thermal boundary layer behind an incident shock wave, and the end wall thermal layer behind a reflected shock wave. These thin layers are imaged with high spatial resolution (15μm/pixel) in conjunction with fused silica walls and near-UV bandpass filters to accurately measure fluorescence signal levels with minimal interferences from scatter and reflection at the wall surface. Nitrogen, hydrogen or argon gas were premixed with 1–12% toluene, the LIF tracer, and tested under various shock flow conditions. The measured pressures and temperatures ranged between 0.01 and 0.8 bar and 293 and 600 K, respectively. Temperature field measurements were found to be in good agreement with theoretical values calculated using 2-D laminar boundary layer and 1-D heat diffusion equations, respectively. In addition, PLIF images were taken at various time delays behind incident and reflected shock waves to observe the development of the side wall and end wall layers, respectively. The demonstrated diagnostic strategy can be used to accurately measure temperature to about 60 μm from the wall.     

The formation of a secondary shock wave behind a shock wave diffracting at a convex corner

This paper deals with the formation of a secondary shock wave behind the shock wave diffracting at a two-dimensional convex corner for incident shock Mach numbers ranging from 1.03 to 1.74 in air. Experiments were carried out using a 60 mm 150 mm shock tube equipped with holographic interferometry. The threshold incident shock wave Mach number () at which a secondary shock wave appeared was found to be = 1.32 at an 81° corner and = 1.33 at a 120° corner. These secondary shock waves are formed due to the existence of a locally supersonic flow behind the diffracting shock wave. Behind the diffracting shock wave, the subsonic flow is accelerated and eventually becomes locally supersonic. A simple unsteady flow analysis revealed that for gases with specific heats ratio the threshold shock wave Mach number was = 1.346. When the value of is less than this, the vortex is formed at the corner without any discontinuous waves accompanying above the slip line. The viscosity was found to be less effective on the threshold of the secondary shock wave, although it attenuated the pressure jump at the secondary shock wave. This is well understood by the consideration of the effect of the wall friction in one-dimensional duct flows. In order to interpret the experimental results a numerical simulation using a shock adaptive unstructured grid Eulerian solver was also carried out. Received 1 May 1996 / Accepted 12 September 1996     

Reflection of shock waves from a solid boundary in a mixture of condensed materials. 1. Equilibrium approximation

The process of reflection of shock waves (SW) from a solid wall in a two-component mixture of condensed materials is studied within the framework of mechanics of heterogeneous media. The velocity of a reflected SW and the values of the parameters behind its front are analytically determined as functions of the velocity of the incident wave and the initial parameters of the mixture. It is shown that the absolute value of the velocity of the reflected SW can be greater than the velocity of the incident SW in mixtures with a small content of the light component and at low velocities of the incident shock wave. The nonmonotonic character of the dependence of pressure in the final equilibrium state behind the incident SW on the initial volume concentration of particles is demonstrated. The velocity of the incident SW is estimated for the case where a similar effect is also observed behind a reflected SW. It is established that, for weak shock waves, the dependence of the amplification factor of the reflected SW on the initial volume concentration of the light component is nonmonotonic and has a local maximum. It is noted that, as the velocity of the incident SW increases, the effect of compacting of the mixture (increase in concentration of the heavy component) behind the reflected SW becomes much less pronounced than in a passing SW. Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Siberian Division, Russian Academy of Sciences. Novosibirsk 630090. Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 40, No. 5, pp. 73–78, September–October, 1999.     

Shear layer behavior resulting from shock wave diffraction

All previous studies on shock wave diffraction in shock tubes have spatial and temporal limitations due to the size of the test sections. These limitations result from either the reflection of the expansion wave, generated at the corner, from the top wall and/or of the reflection of the incident diffracted shock from the bottom wall of the test section passing back through the region of interest. This has limited the study of the evolution of the shear layer and its associated vortex, which forms a relatively small region of the flow behind the shock with an extent of only a few centimeters, and yet is a region of significant interest. A special shock tube is used in the current tests which allow evolution of the flow to be examined at a scale about an order of magnitude larger than in previously published results, with shear layer lengths of up to 250 mm being achieved without interference from adjacent walls. Tests are presented for incident shock wave Mach numbers of nominally 1.3–1.5. Studies have been undertaken with wall angles of 10, 20, 30 and 90°. Significant changes are noted as the spatial and temporal scale of the experiment increases. For a given wall angle, the flow behind the incident shock is not self-similar as is usually assumed. Both shear layer instability and the development of turbulent patches become evident, neither of which have been noted in previous tests.     

平面激波加载下砂墙结构的冲击响应特性

砂墙结构在爆炸安全防护领域具有广泛应用,为了研究激波加载下砂墙结构的冲击响应特性,基于水平激波管实验装置,开展平面激波冲击砂墙结构系列实验,采用高速纹影摄像系统捕捉流场中激波波系的演化过程和砂墙结构的运动过程。入射激波马赫数为1.827~2.413,相应入射激波载荷强度为0.378~0.724 MPa。砂墙结构利用铁砂、矾土、石英砂3种实验用砂制备,所制备砂墙结构孔隙度分别为56.6%、69.3%、56.6%。高速纹影照片显示:平面激波冲击砂墙结构发生反射和透射,伴随入射激波和透射激波的传播,在百微秒内,砂墙未产生显著运动,表现出显著的类固体动力学响应特性。基于冲击理论,确定了铁砂墙、矾土砂墙、石英砂墙的线性冲击关系,冲击关系中线性常数λ值量级为100,根据凝聚介质实用状态方程推断:较低强度载荷冲击作用下,砂墙主要产生体积变形,而由冲击引起的热能效应则可以忽略。     

Shock wave diffraction on multi-facetted and curved walls

The two-dimensional diffraction of a shock wave over a wall made up of a series of plane and/or curved sections is considered. The analysis is based on the theory presented by, for the interaction of an originally plane shock wave with a corner. A method is presented by which the shock profile may be determined for a wall of any shape and for any incident Mach number, in regions where the characteristics form a simple wave. Comparisons are made between experimental measurements and theoretical predictions for convex walls consisting of a number of facets, and for circular arcs, for a range of incident shock wave Mach numbers. It is shown that the theory gives a satisfactory prediction of the wave shape, which improves as the Mach number increases. Modifications in the flow field behind the shock, compared to that for a simple corner made up of two plane walls is discussed, particularly relating to flow separation. For circular arc concave walls a inverse Mach reflection results experimentally, leading to regular reflection, for which the theory is of no use. PACS 47.40.Nm     

Shock wave attenuation by grids and orifice plates

The interaction of weak shock waves with porous barriers of different geometries and porosities is examined. Installing a barrier inside the shock tube test section will cause the development of the following wave pattern upon a head-on collision between the incident shock wave and the barrier: a reflected shock from the barrier and a transmitted shock propagating towards the shock tube end wall. Once the transmitted shock wave reaches the end wall it is reflected back towards the barrier. This is the beginning of multiple reflections between the barrier and the end wall. This full cycle of shock reflections/interactions resulting from the incident shock wave collision with the barrier can be studied in a single shock tube test. A one-dimensional (1D), inviscid flow model was proposed for simulating the flow resulting from the initial collision of the incident shock wave with the barrier. Fairly good agreement is found between experimental findings and simulations based on a 1D flow model. Based on obtained numerical and experimental findings an optimal design procedure for shock wave attenuator is suggested. The suggested attenuator may ensure the safety of the shelter’s ventilation systems.     

Shape of a shock wave front diffracting on a perforated wall

 The shape of a shock wave front diffracting on a perforated wall is determined by comparing numerical data and experimental findings. Experiments were conducted in a 60 mm×150 mm cross sectional area shock tube equipped with a double-exposure holographic interferometer. The numerical simulation was conducted using a TVD upwind finite difference scheme. First, a discharge coefficient for the mass flow through the perforations was determined by comparing the numerical results with those obtained using a simplified quasi-one-dimensional analysis. This value agreed well with the experimentally obtained value. Finally, the shape of a backward inclined incident shock wave over a perforated wall was successfully determined by employing this discharge coefficient and the numerical result. Received: 17 March 1995/Accepted: 13 August 1997     

Oxyhydrogen combustion and detonation driven shock tube

The performance of combustion driver ignited by multi-spark plugs distributed along axial direction has been analysed and tested. An improved ignition method with three circumferential equidistributed ignitors at main diaphragm has been presented, by which the produced incident shock waves have higher repeatability, and better steadiness in the pressure, temperature and velocity fields of flow behind the incidence shock, and thus meets the requirements of aerodynamic experiment. The attachment of a damping section at the end of the driver can eliminate the high reflection pressure produced by detonation wave, and the backward detonation driver can be employed to generate high enthalpy and high density test flow. The incident shock wave produced by this method is well repeated and with weak attenuation. The reflection wave caused by the contracted section at the main diaphragm will weaken the unfavorable effect of rarefaction wave behind the detonation wave, which indicates that the forward detonation driver can be applied in the practice. For incident shock wave of identical strength, the initial pressure of the forward detonation driver is about 1 order of magnitude lower than that of backward detonation. The project supported by State Science and Technology Committee, National Natural Foundation of Science of China (19082012), Chinese Academy of Sciences and Project of National High Technology of China. In memory of academician Kuo Yonghuai's 90th anniversary.     

Shock wave deformation in shock-vortex interactions

An initially planar shock wave can undergo significant distortion to its shape along with changes in its strength during the period of its interaction with a compressible vortex. This phenomenon is studied by numerically simulating the shock wave-vortex interaction with a high resolution shock-capturing scheme. Incident shock waves of various Mach numbers are made to interact with a compressible vortex and the dependence of the shock wave distortion on the strength of the incident shock wave is studied in detail. It is known that the type of complex shock structure formed in the later stages of a compressible vortex-shock wave interaction is dependent on the Mach number of the incident shock wave. A simple physical model based on the principle of shock wave reflection is proposed to explain this complex shock structure formation and its dependence on the relative strengths of the interacting vortex and shock wave. Received July 28, 1997 / Accepted November 17, 1997     

Numerical and experimental investigation of wave dynamic processes in high-speed train/tunnels

Numerical and experimental investigation on wave dynamic processes induced by high-speed trains entering railway tunnels are presented. Experiments were conducted by using a 1:250 scaled train-tunnel simulator. Numerical simulations were carried out by solving the axisymmetric Euler equations with the dispersion-controlled scheme implemented with moving boundary conditions. Pressure histories at various positions inside the train-tunnel simulator at different distance measured from the entrance of the simulator are recorded both numerically and experimentally, and then compared with each other for two train speeds. After the validation of nonlinear wave phenomena, detailed numerical simulations were then conducted to account for the generation of compression waves near the entrance, the propagation of these waves along the train tunnel, and their gradual development into a weak shock wave. Four wave dynamic processes observed are interpreted by combining numerical results with experiments. They are: high-speed trains moving over a free terrain before entering railway tunnels; the abrupt-entering of high-speed trains into railway tunnels; the abrupt-entering of the tail of high-speed trains into railway tunnels; and the interaction of compression and expansion waves ahead of high-speed trains. The effects of train-tunnel configuration, such as the train length and the train-tunnel blockage ratio, on these wave processes have been investigated as well.     

A holographic interferometric study of shock wave focusing in a circular reflector

A holographic interferometric study was made of the focusing of reflected shock waves from a circular reflector. A diaphragmless shock tube was used for incident shock Mach numbers ranging from 1.03 to 1.74. Hence, the process of reflected shock wave focusing was quantitatively observed. It is found that a converging shock wave along the curved wall undergoes an unsteady evolution of mach reflection and its focusing is, therefore, subject to the evolution of the process of shock wave reflections. The collision of triple points terminates the focusing process at the geometrical focus. In order to interprete quantitatively these interferograms, a numerical simulation using an Eulerian solver combined with adaptive unstructured grids was carried out. It is found numerically that the highest density appears immediately after the triple point collision. This implies that the final stage of focusing is mainly determined by the interaction between shock waves and vortices. The interaction of finite strength shock waves, hence, prevents a curved shock wave from creating the infinite increase of density or pressure at a focal point which is otherwise predicted by the linear acoustic theory.     

Guderley reflection for higher Mach numbers in a standard shock tube

An experimental study shows that the Guderley reflection (GR) of shock waves can be produced in a standard shock tube. A new technique was utilised which comprises triple point of a developed weak Mach reflection undergoing a number of reflections off the ceiling and floor of the shock tube before arriving at the test section. Both simple perturbation sources and diverging ramps were used to generate a transverse wave in the tube which then becomes the weak reflected wave of the reflection pattern. Tests were conducted for three ramp angles (10°, 15°, and 20°) and two perturbation sources for a range of Mach numbers (1.10–1.40) and two shock tube expansion chamber lengths (2.0 and 4.0 m). It was found that the length of the Mach stem of the reflection pattern is the overall vertical distance traveled by the triple point. Images with equivalent Mach stem lengths in the order of 2.0 m were produced. All tests showed evidence of the fourth wave of the GR, namely the expansion wave behind the reflected shock wave. A shocklet terminating the expansion wave was also identified in a few cases mainly for incident wave Mach numbers of approximately 1.20.     

The reflected pressure field in the interaction of weak shock waves with a compressible foam

This paper deals with the waves that are reflected from slabs of porous compressible foam attached to a rigid wall when impacted by a weak shock wave. The interest is in establishing possible attenuation of the pressure field after a shock or blast wave has struck the surface. Foam densities from 14 to 38 kg/m³ were tested over a range of shock wave Mach numbers less than 1.4. It is shown that the initial reflected shock wave strength is accurately predicted by the pseudo-gas model of Gelfand et al. (1983), with a pressure ratio of approximately 80% of the value for reflection off a rigid wall. Evidence is presented of gas entering the foam during the early stages of the process. A second wave emerges from the foam at a later stage and is separated from the first by a region of constant velocity and pressure. This second wave is not a shock wave but a compression front of significant thickness, which emerges from the foam earlier than predicted by the pseudo-gas model. Analysis of the origin of this wave points to much more complex flows within the foam than previously assumed, particularly in an apparent decrease in average wave front speed as the foam is compressed. It is shown that the pressure ratio across both these waves taken together is slightly higher than that for reflection off a rigid wall. In some cases this compression wave train is followed by a weak expansion wave.This article was processed using Springer-Verlag T_EX Shock Waves macro package 1990.     

Formation and evolution of vortex rings induced by interactions between shock waves and a low-density bubble

The deformation and instability of a low-density spherical bubble induced by an incident and its reflected shock waves are studied by using the large eddy simulation method. The computational model is firstly validated by experimental results from the literature and is further used to examine the effect of incident shock wave strength on the formations and three-dimensional evolutions of the vortex rings. For the weak shock wave case (Ma?=?1.24), the baroclinic effect induced by the reflected shock wave is the key mechanism for the formation of new vortex rings. The vortex rings not only move due to the self-induced effect and the flow field velocity, but also generate azimuthal instability due to the pressure disturbance. For the strong shock wave case (Ma?=?2.2), a boundary layer is formed adjacent to the end wall owing to the approach of vortex ring, and unsteady separation of the boundary layer near the wall results in the ejection and formation of new vortex rings. These vortex rings interact in the vicinity of the end wall and finally collapse to a complicated vortex structure via azimuthal instability. For both shock wave strength cases, the evolutions of vortex rings due to the instability lead to the formation of the complicated structure dominated by the small-scale streamwise vortices.     

Regular reflection of a shock wave from a solid wall in a stream of fuel mixture

The two-dimensional stationary problem of regular reflection of a shock wave from a plane solid wall in a fuel gas mixture is examined in the case when the mixture is ignited at the intersection of the incident wave with the wall and a flame front is formed behind the reflected shock wave. The shock waves and the flame front are considered plane surfaces of discontinuity. The fuel mixture and the reaction products are considered perfect, inviscid, and non-heat-conducting gases.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 4, pp. 161–163, July–August, 1978.     

Evolution of weak shocks in one dimensional planar and non-planar gasdynamic flows

Asymptotic decay laws for planar and non-planar shock waves and the first order associated discontinuities that catch up with the shock from behind are obtained using four different approximation methods. The singular surface theory is used to derive a pair of transport equations for the shock strength and the associated first order discontinuity, which represents the effect of precursor disturbances that overtake the shock from behind. The asymptotic behaviour of both the discontinuities is completely analysed. It is noticed that the decay of a first order discontinuity is much faster than the decay of the shock; indeed, if the amplitude of the accompanying discontinuity is small then the shock decays faster as compared to the case when the amplitude of the first order discontinuity is finite (not necessarily small). It is shown that for a weak shock, the precursor disturbance evolves like an acceleration wave at the leading order. We show that the asymptotic decay laws for weak shocks and the accompanying first order discontinuity are exactly the ones obtained by using the theory of non-linear geometrical optics, the theory of simple waves using Riemann invariants, and the theory of relatively undistorted waves. It follows that the relatively undistorted wave approximation is a consequence of the simple wave formalism using Riemann invariants.     

Dynamics of stress wave propagation in a chain of photoelastic discs impacted by a planar shock wave; Part I, experimental investigation

The propagation of stress waves through a chain of discs has been studied experimentally. Optically transparent 20-mm diameter discs, made of epoxy, were loaded dynamically by head-on collision with an incident planar shock wave. The loading was done in a vertical shock tube. The head-on collision between the punch-plate, placed on top of the chain of discs, and the incident shock wave resulted in a head-on reflected shock wave inducing behind it a fairly uniform step-wise pressure pulse having duration of about 6 ms. The recorded fringe patterns of the stress field, in the discs-chain, show that the input pressure pulse was broken into several oscillating cycles. The back and forth bouncing of stress waves gave rise to two different modes of the contact stress oscillations, which continued until the overall stress reaches equilibrium with the input conditions. The registered propagation velocity of the stress wave was significantly lower than the appropriate speed of sound in the material from which the discs were made.