Quantitative visualization of the near-wall structures in a turbulent pipe flow by image correlation velocimetry

Laser-induced fluorescent dye visualization and image correlation velocimetry were employed to delineate near-wall turbulent structures in a pipe flow. The sweeping and ejection events near the wall and the downstream evolution of a large-scale eddy structure rotating in a counter-clockwise direction were clearly reflected in the instantaneous fluctuating velocity fields. This eddy structure was found to form mostly in the logarithmic region and to dominate the flow structures there, while the ejection and sweeping events in the log layer were greatly influenced by the existence of the large-scale eddy structure. Received: 29 January 2001 / Accepted: 22 October 2001