Turbulent boundary layer over a smooth wall with widely separated transverse square cavities

Laser-Doppler velocimetry (LDV) measurements and flow visualizations are used to study a turbulent boundary layer over a smooth wall with transverse square cavities at two values of the momentum thickness Reynolds number (R =400 and 1300). The cavities are spaced 20 element widths apart in the streamwise direction. Flow visualizations reveal a significant communication between the cavities and the overlying shear layer, with frequent inflows and ejections of fluid to and from cavities. There is evidence to suggest that quasi-streamwise near-wall vortices are responsible for the ejections of fluid out of the cavities. The wall shear stress, which is measured accurately, increases sharply immediately downstream of the cavity. This increase is followed by a sudden decrease and a slower return to the smooth wall value. Integration of the wall shear stress in the streamwise direction indicates that there is an increase in drag of 3.4% at bothR .Nomenclature C _f skin friction coefficient - C _fsw friction coefficient for a continuous smooth wall - k height of the cavity - k ⁺ ku / - R Reynolds number based on momentum thickness (U ₁ /v) - Rx Reynolds number based on streamwise distance (U ₁ x/) - s streamwise distance between two cavities - t time - t ⁺ tu ₂ / - U ₁ freestream velocity - mean velocity inx direction - u,v,w rms turbulent intensities inx,y andz directions - u local friction velocity - u _sw friction velocity for a continuous smooth wall - w width of the cavity - x streamwise co-ordinate measured from the downstream edge of the cavity - y co-ordinate normal to the wall - z spanwise co-ordinate - y ⁺ yu / - boundary layer thickness - ₀ boundary layer thickness near the upstream edge of the cavity - _i thickness of internal layer - kinematic viscosity of water - ⁺ zu / - momentum thickness