Large-scale motion of a turbulent boundary layer during relaminarization

Abstract

A fully developed turbulent boundary layer was subjected to a strongly favourable pressure gradient in order to investigate the role of the large eddy structure during ‘relaminarization’. Measurements of%he mean velocity profiles indicated that the ‘law of the wall’ disappeared in the region of the maximum pressure gradient. The three fluctuating velocity components and the tangential Reynolds stress were obtained to determine more precisely the nature of the decay of the turbulent structure. These measurements indicated that the absolute level of the velocities and stress were approximately constant along a mean streamline except near the wall. However, the relative levels were decreasing, as reported previously by several authors. The intermittency factor γ decreased along the mean streamlines until most of the boundary layer had only a negligible turbulence level. Space-time auto- and cross-correlations of u, v and I (the intermittency function) of the large-scale structure were obtained in the region of maximum pressure gradient and are compared with those measured in a zero pressure gradient flow.