The prediction of turbulent boundary layer development in compressible flow

Starting from Head's semi-empirical method for incompressible flow, two approaches to the prediction of turbulent boundary-layer development in compressible flow are explored. The first uses Head's incompressible method in conjunction with a compressibility transformation similar to Stewartson's transformation for laminar flow; the second carries over Head's physical arguments to treat the compressible flow directly. Measurements in supersonic flow, both on flat plates and downstream of an abrupt pressure rise, show broad agreement with the predictions of the second method but do not support the compressibility transformation. In particular, measurements on flat plates reveal that as Mach number increases the entrainment rate decreases to a lesser extent than the skin-friction coefficient. Whilst this result is consistent with the second treatment in this paper, it is difficult to reconcile with any of the compressibility transformations discussed, and the validity of these transformations in turbulent flow is therefore questioned.