Large-eddy simulation of flow over wavy surfaces

Large-eddy simulation is used to investigate fully developed turbulent flow in a neutral channel wherein the lower wall is sinusoidal. The numerical results are compared with experimental observations for wave slopes ranging from 0 to 0.628. Particular emphasis is placed on the separated flow induced by a large-amplitude wave. A detailed comparison with the data of Buckles, Hanratty & Adrian (1984) shows generally good agreement. Large-eddy simulation surface pressures are integrated to calculate form drag as a function of wave slope. Drag is found to increase quadratically with slope for small-amplitude waves, with a somewhat slower increase for larger amplitudes. However, comparison with experimental measurements is confounded by uncertainties with the values reported in the literature. An interesting feature characteristic of all wavy-surface simulations is an increase in transverse velocity fluctuations on the wave upslope. Although the precise mechanism responsible is not known, analysis shows it to be associated with temporally persistent vortex-like structures localized near the surface. The magnitude of the fluctuation increase appears to scale quadratically with slope for small-amplitude waves, in contrast to the streamwise fluctuations, which increase linearly.