Decaying homogeneous turbulence under strong density stratification at low-Prandtl number

The characteristics of decaying homogeneous turbulence under strong density stratification have been studied using direct numerical simulations. While our previous study dealt with rotating stratified turbulence, here we investigate the detailed flow structure of stratified turbulence without rotation especially at low-Prandtl number. By assuming a low-Prandtl-number fluid, e.g. liquid sodium: Pr ≈ 0.01, gallium: Pr ≈ 0.025, internal gravity waves are markedly attenuated due to the large thermal conductivity, and turbulence soon reaches a two-component state, where vertical energy, coupled with potential energy, significantly decays, and becomes negligible as observed experimentally (Praud et al. in J Fluid Mech 522:1–33, 2005). In the horizontal plane, there appear large-scale vortices with vertical vorticity, and those with the same sign of vorticity increase their horizontal length scale by merging with each other. In the vertical plane, highly sheared regions represented by horizontal vorticity also tend to horizontally increase their length scale and become layered structures by the combined effects of vortex coalescence and energy cascade into higher vertical wavenumbers.      

Wave resistance of a viscous liquid

In this paper we examine the resistance encountered by a system of normal stresses during its rectilinear motion along the surface of a viscous liquid of infinite depth. The problem is solved in the linear formulation, i.e., it is assumed that amplitudes of the waves which arise are small and the waves are shallow. The solution for the two-and three-dimensional problems is obtained in the general case in closed form. In the two-dimensional case a detailed study is made of the case when a constant pressure p₀, moving with the constant velocity U, is given on a segment of length 2l. In the three-dimen-sional problem the case is studied when the normal stress is concentrated on a segment of a straight line of length 2l, which can replace a ship moving along a straight course with the constant velocity U. The integrals obtained in both cases are studied using the stationary phase method, the application of which for the three-dimensional integrals with respect to a volume with boundaries is justified in §1 of the paper. As a result we obtain equations for the wave resistance in the two- (§2) and three-dimensional (§3) cases.     

Towards large eddy simulation of isothermal two-phase flows: Governing equations and a priori tests

This article reports on the potential of application of LES in the calculation of turbulent two-phase flows, in the case where each phase is resolved and interfaces remain much larger than the mesh size. In comparison with single-phase flow, successful application of LES to resolve two-phase flow problems should account for the complex interaction between turbulence and interfaces. Non-linear transfers of turbulent energy across the interface have to be accurately modeled. The derivation of the complete filtered two-phase flow governing equations has been formulated to deal with turbulence at the interface in a comprehensive and practical way. Explicit filtering of 2D direct numerical simulations has been employed to evaluate the order of magnitude of the new subgrid contributions. A parametric study on the academic test case of two counter-rotative vortices and a more complex test case of phase inversion in a closed box have been utilized to perform an order of magnitude analysis of different transport mechanisms. Important features of turbulent energy transfer across the interface have been discussed. Analyses of the numerical results have been conducted to derive conclusions on the relative importance of the different subgrid scale contributions, and modeling issues and solutions are provided.     

SPH computation of plunging waves using a 2‐D sub‐particle scale (SPS) turbulence model

The paper presents a 2‐D large eddy simulation (LES) modelling approach to investigate the properties of the plunging waves. The numerical model is based on the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method. SPH is a mesh‐free Lagrangian particle approach which is capable of tracking the free surfaces of large deformation in an easy and accurate way. The Smagorinsky model is used as the turbulence model due to its simplicity and effectiveness. The proposed 2‐D SPH–LES model is applied to a cnoidal wave breaking and plunging over a mild slope. The computations are in good agreement with the documented data. Especially the computed turbulence quantities under the breaking waves agree better with the experiments as compared with the numerical results obtained by using the k–ε model. The sensitivity analyses of the SPH–LES computations indicate that both the turbulence model and the spatial resolution play an important role in the model predictions and the contributions from the sub‐particle scale (SPS) turbulence decrease with the particle size refinement. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Turbulence beneath finite amplitude water waves

Babanin and Haus (J Phys Oceanogr 39:2675–2679, 2009) recently presented evidence of near-surface turbulence generated below steep non-breaking deep-water waves. They proposed a threshold wave parameter a ²ω/ν = 3,000 for the spontaneous occurrence of turbulence beneath surface waves. This is in contrast to conventional understanding that irrotational wave theories provide a good approximation of non-wind-forced wave behaviour as validated by classical experiments. Many laboratory wave experiments were carried out in the early 1960s (e.g. Wiegel 1964). In those experiments, no evidence of turbulence was reported, and steep waves behaved as predicted by the high-order irrotational wave theories within the accuracy of the theories and experimental techniques at the time. This contribution describes flow visualisation experiments for steep non-breaking waves using conventional dye techniques in the wave boundary layer extending above the wave trough level. The measurements showed no evidence of turbulent mixing up to a value of a ²ω/ν = 7,000 at which breaking commenced in these experiments. These present findings are in accord with the conventional understandings of wave behaviour.     

Measurement of spectrum with particle image velocimetry

The purpose of this paper is to show that the measurement of turbulent spectrum using wholefield velocity techniques such as particle image velocimetry (PIV) is possible. Toward this end, data from the axial plane of a self-similar turbulent axisymmetric jet, at a Reynolds number, based on Taylor microscale of 30 has been analyzed. The two-dimensional velocity data are first high-pass filtered, which educes the vortices. An automated method is then used to identify the vortices and measure their properties. By directly measuring the energy of the vortices, it is possible to plot the turbulence spectrum. The spectrum presented here shows the presence of energy containing and inertial regimes. However, the smallest scales have not been resolved in the measurements. The slope of the spectrum in the inertial subrange is about −1.6. The number of vortices in the two regimes have also been measured. The number of vortices in the energy containing regime is substantially smaller than those in the inertial subrange. The technique has been verified by analyzing another dataset. These results show that the direct measurement of vortex properties with reasonable confidence is possible using PIV and an appropriate vortex eduction technique.     

Weak turbulence of capillary waves

In recent years the theory of weak turbulence, i.e. the stochastic theory of nonlinear waves [I, 9], has been intensively developed. In the theory of weak turbulence nonlinearity of waves is assumed to be small; this enables us, using the hypothesis of the random nature of the phases of individual waves, to obtain the kinetic equation for the mean squares of the wave aplitudes.In many cases of weak turbulence a situation arises where damping is considerable in the region of large wave numbers and is separated from the region where the basic energy of the waves is concentrated (as a result either of pumping or of the initial conditions) with a wide region of transparency. In [3,4] the hypothesis was stated that weak turbulence in these eases is completely analogous to hydrodynamic turbulence for large Reynolds numbers in the sense that in the region of transparency a univelsal spectrum is established which is determined onIy by the flow of energy into the region of large wave numbers. The spectrum of hydrodynamic turbulence Sk - k 5/s was obtained by A. N. Kolmogorov and A. M. Obukhov [5,6] from dimensional considerations. In the case of weak turbulence the spectrum - obtained as an exact solution of the stationary kinetic equation.Below the ease of weak turbulence of capillary waves on the surface of a liquid is considered.A kinetic equation is obtained for capillary waves. It is significant that in this case the basic contribution to interaction is provided by the process of the decomposition of a wave into two and by the process of two waves merging into one.It is shown that the collision term of the kinetic equation vanishes with the solution ek - k 7/4. Arguments are advanced in favor of the fact that this solution can be interpreted as a universal spectrum in the region of transparency.     

Erratum to: Rock Dynamic Fracture Toughness Tested with Holed-Cracked Flattened Brazilian Discs Diametrically Impacted by SHPB and its Size Effect

Dynamic fracture initiation toughness of marble was tested using two types of the holed-cracked flattened Brazilian disc (HCFBD) specimens, which were diametrically impacted at the flat end of the disc by the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) of 100 mm diameter. One type of the discs is geometrically similar with different outside diameter of 42 mm, 80 mm, 122 mm and 155 mm respectively, and with crack length being half the diameter; another type of the discs has identical 80 mm diameter and different crack length. Issues associated with determination of the stress wave loading by the SHPB system and the crack initiation time in the disc specimen were resolved using strain gage technique. The stress waves recorded on the bars and the disc failure patterns are shown and explained. The tested dynamic fracture toughness increases obviously with increasing diameter for the geometrically similar HCFBD specimens. It changes moderately for the one-size specimens of identical diameter and different crack length. The size effect of rock dynamic fracture toughness is mainly caused by the fracture process zone length l and fracture incubation time τ, the latter being an additional influencing factor for the dynamic loading as compared with the counterpart static situation. Hence a method is proposed to determine a unique value for the dynamic fracture initiation toughness, the approach takes average of the local distribution and time history for dynamic stress intensity factor in the spatial-temporal domain, which is defined by l and τ jointly. In this way the dynamic size effect is minimized.     

Measurements of wave-variance and velocity spectra in breaking waves

Displacements of mechanical waves superposed onto wind waves were measured with a laser displacement gauge in a wind-wave tank. The effects of wave breaking, especially the spilling breaking type, on the wave-variance spectra are investigated. In the absence of wave breaking, the quasi-equilibrium spectrum consists of an f ^–7/3 subrange in the capillary regime, and its spectral density increases with increasing wind speed. When intense spilling breaking occurs, the water surface is saturated with small-scale features that cause not only an increase in the spectral density but also a reduction in the slope of the spectrum at high frequencies. Velocity components under the water surface were measured with a laser Doppler velocimeter. The energy spectra of the vertical and longitudinal velocity components in breaking waves are practically identical in the frequency range near the dominant wave frequency. At higher frequencies, the spectra generally follow Kolmogorov's –5/3 law. In the intermediate frequency range, we observed a higher spectral density for the vertical velocity component than for its longitudinal counterpart. These results suggest that turbulence energy is transferred from the vertical component to the longitudinal component in breaking waves. The acceleration of the water motion becomes as large as gravitational acceleration when intense wave breaking takes place. The flow field in breaking waves is highly dissipative.     

INTERNAL LEE WAVES AND TURBULENCE MIXING OVER AN ISOLATED SEAMOUNT: RESULTS FROM TURBULENCE ENERGY MODELS

A three-dimensional, primitive equation, baroclinic numerical model incorporating a range of turbulence energy submodels is used to study the generation of internal lee waves over an isolated seamount. Attention is given to the turbulence mixing enhanced by the internal lee waves. The results show that regions of strong turbulence energy appear over the lee side of the seamount associated with the production of the lee waves. The computed vertical eddy viscosity and diffusivity using turbulence models can be as large as 1 m²s⁻¹. A comparison of the magnitude and spatial distribution of the internal lee waves does not reveal any major differences in results computed using different turbulence energy models or mixing determined from a Richards on number formulation. However, the magnitude of the vertical mixing is sensitive to the form of turbulence energy submodel. Also, a study of the relevant importance of the various terms in the turbulence energy equation shows that the term representing the advection of turbulence needs to be retained in order to accurately reproduce the mixing produced by the internal lee waves. Calculations using a range of seamount profiles show that the magnitude of near-bed turbulence is sensitive to the shape of the seamount. The magnitude and spatial distribution of the lee waves and associated flow field are affected by the parametrization of horizontal diffusion, with significant differences between the use of Laplacian and biharmonic forms of horizontal diffusion. The application of biharmonic horizontal diffusion is recommended.     

Vortices,Complex Flows and Inertial Particles

The properties of vortical structures at high Reynolds number in uniform flows and near rigid boundaries are reviewed. New properties are derived by analysing the dynamics of the main flow features and the related integral constraints, including the relations between mean swirl and bulk speed, the relative level of internal fluctuations to bulk properties, and connections between the steadiness and topology of the structures. A crucial property that determines energy dissipation and the transport of inertial particles (with finite fall speed) is the variation across the structure of the ratio of the mean strain rate (Σ) to the mean vorticity (Ω). It is shown how, once such particles are entrained into the vortical regions of a coherent structure, they can be transported over significant distances even as the vortices grow and their internal structure is distorted by internal turbulence, swirling motions and the presence of rigid boundaries. However if the vortex is strongly distorted by a straining motion so that Σ is greater than Ω, the entrained particles are ejected quite rapidly. These mechanisms are consistent with previous studies of entrained and sedimenting particles in disperse two phase flows over flat surfaces, and over bluff obstacles and dunes. They are also tested in more detail here through laboratory observations and measurements of 50–200-μm particles entrained into circular and non-circular vortices moving first into still air and then onto rigid surfaces placed parallel and perpendicular to the direction of motion of the vortices.     

An experimental investigation of roll waves in high pressure two-phase inclined pipe flows

This paper examines the effects of small upward inclinations on the formation of roll waves and the properties of fully developed roll waves at high pressure conditions. A total of 984 experiments were conducted at six positive pipe inclinations θ = 0.00°, 0.10°, 0.25°, 1.00°, 2.50° and 5.00° using a 25 m long 10 cm i.d. pipe. Sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) was used at 8 bara giving a gas density of 50 kg/m³. Two independent mechanisms for the formation of roll waves were identified; (1) interaction between 2D shallow water waves and (2) a visible long wavelength instability of the stratified layer. Viscous long wavelength linear stability analysis predicted the critical liquid flow rate and liquid height for the initiation of roll waves when roll waves were formed due to the second mechanism. A simple equation from shallow water wave theory agreed with measurements for critical liquid flow rate when roll waves were formed due to the first mechanism. Shallow water wave speed agreed with critical wave speeds at transition and nonlinear wave speeds for fully developed roll waves in certain cases. The increase in interfacial friction due to the presence of large waves was compared with models from the literature.     

Three-dimensional green water velocity on a model structure

Flow kinematics of green water due to plunging breaking waves impinging on a simplified, 3D model structure was investigated in the laboratory. Two breaking wave conditions were tested: one with waves impinging on the vertical wall of the model at still water level, and the other with waves impinging on the horizontal deck surface. The bubble image velocimetry (BIV) technique was used to measure flow velocities. Measurements were taken on both vertical and horizontal planes. Evolution of green water flow kinematics in time and space was revealed and was found to be quite different between the two wave conditions, even though the incoming waves are essentially identical. The time history of maximum velocity is demonstrated and compared. In both cases, the maximum velocity occurs near the green water front and beneath the free surface. The maximum horizontal velocity for the deck impinging case is 1.44C with C being the wave phase speed, which is greater than 1.24C for the wall impingement case. The overall turbulence level is about 0.3 of the corresponding maximum velocity in each wave condition. The results were also compared with 2D experimental results to examine the 3D effect. It was found that the magnitude of the maximum vertical velocity during the runup process is 1.7C in the 3D model study and 2.9C in the 2D model study, whereas the maximum horizontal velocity on the deck is similar, 1.2C in both 3D and 2D model studies.     

One Equation Model for Turbulent Channel Flow with Second Order Viscoelastic Corrections

A modified second order viscoelastic constitutive equation is used to derive a k–l type turbulence closure to qualitatively assess the effects of elastic stresses on fully-developed channel flow. Specifically, the second order correction to the Newtonian constitutive equation gives rise to a new term in the momentum equation involving the time-averaged elastic shear stress and in the turbulent kinetic energy transport equation quantifying the interaction between the fluctuating elastic stress and rate of strain tensors, denoted by P _w , for which a closure is developed and tested. This closure is based on arguments of isotropic turbulence and equilibrium in boundary layer flows and a priori P _w could be either positive or negative. When P _w is positive, it acts to reduce the production of turbulent kinetic energy and the turbulence model predictions qualitatively agree with direct numerical simulation (DNS) results obtained for more realistic viscoelastic fluid models with memory which exhibit drag reduction. In contrast, P _w  < 0 leads to a drag increase and numerical breakdown of the model occurs at very low values of the Deborah number, which signifies the ratio of elastic to viscous stresses. Limitations of the turbulence model primarily stem from the inadequacy of the k–l formulation rather than from the closure for P _w . An alternative closure for P _w , mimicking the viscoelastic stress work predicted by DNS using the Finitely Extensible Nonlinear Elastic-Peterlin fluid model, which is mostly characterized by P _w  > 0 but has also a small region of negative P _w in the buffer layer, was also successfully tested. This second model for P _w leads to predictions of drag reduction, in spite of the enhancement of turbulence production very close to the wall, but the equilibrium conditions in the inertial sub-layer were not strictly maintained.     

Incompressible SPH simulation of wave breaking and overtopping with turbulence modelling

In this paper a truly incompressible version of the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method is presented to investigate the surface wave overtopping. SPH is a pure Lagrangian approach which can handle large deformations of the free surface with high accuracy. The governing equations are solved based on the SPH particle interaction models and the incompressible algorithm of pressure projection is implemented by enforcing the constant particle density. The two‐equation k–ε model is an effective way of dealing with the turbulence and vortices during wave breaking and overtopping and it is coupled with the incompressible SPH numerical scheme. The SPH model is employed to reproduce the experiment and computations of wave overtopping of a sloping sea wall. The computations are validated against the experimental and numerical data found in the literatures and good agreement is observed. Besides, the convergence behaviour of the numerical scheme and the effects of particle spacing refinement and turbulence modelling on the simulation results are also investigated in further detail. The sensitivity of the computed wave breaking and overtopping on these issues is discussed and clarified. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Seismic Reflection from an Interface Between an Elastic Solid and a Fractured Porous Medium with Partial Saturation

The theory of Tuncay and Corapcioglu (Transp Porous Media 23:237–258, 1996a) has been employed to investigate the possibility of plane wave propagation in a fractured porous medium containing two immiscible fluids. Solid phase of the porous medium is assumed to be linearly elastic, isotropic and the fractures are assumed to be distributed isotropically throughout the medium. It has been shown that there can exist four compressional waves and one rotational wave. The phase speeds of these waves are found to be affected by the presence of fractures, in general. Of the four compressional waves, one arises due to the presence of fractures in the medium and the remaining three are those encountered by Tuncay and Corapcioglu (J Appl Mech 64:313–319, 1997). Reflection and transmission phenomena at a plane interface between a uniform elastic half-space and a fractured porous half-space containing two immiscible fluids, are analyzed due to incidence of plane longitudinal/transverse wave from uniform elastic half-space. Variation of modulus of amplitude and energy ratios with the angle of incidence are computed numerically by taking the elastic half-space as granite and the fractured porous half-space as sandstone material containing non-viscous wetting and non-wetting fluid phases. The results obtained in case of porous half-space with fractures, are compared graphically with those in case of porous half-space without fractures. It is found that the presence of fractures in the porous half-space do affect the reflection/transmission of waves, which is responsible for raising the reflection and lowering the transmission coefficients.     

A correction method for measuring turbulence kinetic energy dissipation rate by PIV

The accuracy of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) dissipation rate measured by PIV is studied. The critical issue for PIV-based dissipation measurements is the strong dependency on the spatial resolution, Δx, as reported by Saarenrinne and Piirto (Exp Fluids Suppl:S300–S307, 2000). When the PIV spacing is larger than the Kolmogorov scale, η, the dissipation is underestimated because the small scale fluctuations are filtered. For the case of Δx smaller than the Kolmogorov scale, the error rapidly increases due to noise. We introduce a correction method to eliminate the dominant error for the small Δx case. The correction method is validated by using a novel PIV benchmark, random Oseen vortices synthetic image test (ROST), in which quasi-turbulence is generated by randomly superposing multiple Oseen vortices. The error of the measured dissipation can be more than 1,000% of the analytical dissipation for the small Δx case, while the dissipation rate is underestimated for the large Δx case. Though the correction method does not correct the underestimate due to the low resolution, the dissipation was accurately obtained within a few percent of the true value by using the correction method for the optimal resolution of η/10 < Δx < η/2.     

Internal waves induced by potential vortices

A linearized equation of the internal waves developing in an ideal stratified gas under the action of potential vortices concentrated in a vertical cylinder is obtained. The Cauchy problem for the internal wave equation with right side depending on the vortex intensity is solved by the integral transform method. In the case of a vortex filament the exact solution is found. Approximate formulas are obtained on the basis of the steady-phase method when the vorticity is exponentially stratified along the vertical. Expressions for the phase velocity and amplitude of the radial wave traveling away from the cylindrical vortex are found. Moscow. Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 1, pp. 118–123, January–February, 1998. The work was carried out with the support of the Russian Foundation for Fundamental Research (project No. 96-01-04599).     

Vortex pairing in an axisymmetric jet using two-frequency acoustic forcing at low to moderate strouhal numbers

 Hot-wire measurement and multi-smoke wire flow visualization method are employed to study vortex pairing in the jet column mode under two-frequency forcing with controlled initial phase differences. For the range of 0.3<St _D <0.6, vortex pairing can be easily controlled by means of the fundamental and its subharmonic forcing with varying initial phase differences. As stable vortex pairing dominates, the variation of the subharmonic component with the initial phase difference changes from a sine shape to a cusp-like shape. The harmonics of the subharmonic also show similar trends. The detuning induces the amplitude and phase modulations of the u-signal in the time trace and the sideband growth in the spectra. The u-signal reflects the subharmonic variation with the initial phase difference in its envelope. For 0.6<St _D <0.9, non-pairing advection of vortices due to improper phase difference is sometimes observed under single-frequency forcing. In this case, vortex pairing can be made to occur by the addition of a subharmonic with very small amplitude. As the initial level of this subharmonic is increased, the onset position of vortex pairing moves upstream. In this range, the initial phase difference is not an effective parameter in controlling vortex pairing. Received: 22 May 1997 / Accepted: 16 October 1997     

An experimental investigation into non-linear wave loading on horizontal axis tidal turbines

Tidal turbines are subject to large hydrodynamic loads from combinations of currents and waves, which contribute significantly to fatigue, extreme loading and power flow requirements. Physical model testing enables these loads and power fluctuations to be assessed and understood in a controlled and repeatable environment. In this work, a 1:15 scale tidal turbine model is utilised to further the fundamental understanding of the influence of waves on tidal turbines. A wide range of regular waves are generated in both following-current and opposing-current conditions. Wave frequencies range from 0.31 Hz to 0.55 Hz & wave heights from 0.025 m to 0.37 m in a fixed 0.81 m/s current velocity. Waves are selected and programmed specifically to facilitate frequency domain analysis, and techniques are employed to isolate the effect of non-linear waves on turbine power and thrust.Results demonstrate that wave action induces large variations in turbine power and thrust compared to current only conditions. For the range of conditions tested, peak values of thrust and power exceed current-only values by between 7%–65% and 13%–160% respectively. These wave-induced fluctuations are shown to increase with wave amplitude and decrease with wave frequency. Following wave conditions exhibit greater variations than opposing for waves with the same wave height and frequency due to the lower associated wavenumbers.A model is developed and presented to aid the understanding of the high-order harmonic response of the turbine to waves, which is further demonstrated using steady state coefficients under assumptions of pseudo-stationarity. This approach is proven to be effective at estimating wave-induced power and thrust fluctuations for the combinations of waves, currents and turbine state tested. The outcome of which shows promise as a rapid design tool that can evaluate the effect of site-specific wave–current conditions on turbine performance.