Basic bluff-body aerodynamics I

Wind loading and structural response

Lecture 8 Dr. J.D. Holmes
Basic bluff-body aerodynamics
Streamlined body
- flow follows contours of body :
Bluff body
- flow separates :
vortices formed by rolling up of shear layers - may re-attach
Basic bluff-body aerodynamics
Bernoullis equation :
applicable in inviscid (zero viscosity) and irrotational (zero vorticity) flow
- outside of boundary layers and free shear layers
constant a
2
1
2
= + U p
a

2
0 0
2
2
1
2
1
U p U p
a a
+ = +
p
0
and U
0
are pressure and velocity in region outside of influence of body
Basic bluff-body aerodynamics
Surface pressure coefficient :
in regions in which Bernoullis Equation is valid :
approximately valid in separated flows if U is taken as velocity in flow just
outside adjacent shear layer
2
0
0
2
1
U
p p
C
a
p

=
( )
2
0
2
0
2 2
0
1
2
1
2
1
|
|
.
|

\
|
=

=
U
U
U
U U
C
a
a
p

U = 0 C
p
= 1.0 (stagnation point)
U > U
0
C
p
< 0
Basic bluff-body aerodynamics
Force coefficient :
reference area, A, - arbitary but often projected area
b = reference length - often projected width normal to wind
Force per unit length coefficient :
A U
F
C
a
F
2
0
2
1

=
b U
f
C
a
f
2
0
2
1

=
Basic bluff-body aerodynamics
Wind axes :
o = angle of attack
Body axes :
Basic bluff-body aerodynamics
Relationship between force coefficients in two axes systems :
F
x
= D cos o - L sin o
F
y
= D sin o - L cos o
Basic bluff-body aerodynamics
Dependence of pressure/force coefficients on other non-dimensional
groups :
C
p
= f(t
1
, t
2
, t
3
etc)
Examples of ts :
h/z
o
- Jensen Number (h is height of building)
I
u
, I
v
, I
w
- turbulence intensities
l
u
/h, l
v
/h, l
w
/h - turbulence length scale ratios
Uh/u - Reynolds Number (u is kinematic viscosity)
In wind tunnel testing - try to match ts in full scale and model scale
Basic bluff-body aerodynamics
Reynolds Number
Re = Uh/u =
a
Uh/
u = kinematic viscosity = dynamic viscosity
Reynolds Number represents a ratio of inertial forces to viscous
forces in the flow
full-scale values of Re cannot be matched in wind tunnel tests
dependence of flow on Re - less for sharp-edged bluff bodies,
and very turbulent flow
Basic bluff-body aerodynamics
Jensen Number
Je = h/z
0

z
0
= roughness length
Applicable only to bluff bodies immersed in a turbulent boundary
layer (full-scale or wind-tunnel)
Lower values of Je - steeper mean speed profile, higher turbulence
Ref. Lecture 6, Chapter 3
Basic bluff-body aerodynamics
Flat plates and walls normal to flow
Advertising hoardings, free-standing walls
Drag force, D = (p
W
- p
L
) A
p
W
= average pressure on windward wall
p
L
= average pressure on leeward wall
dividing both sides by (1/2)
a
U
2
A

:
C
D
= C
p,W
C
p,L
= C
p,W
+ ( C
p,L
)
Basic bluff-body aerodynamics
Flat plates and walls normal to flow
Turbulence decreases (more negative) leeward side or base
pressure by increasing entrainment of flow from wake by
shear layers
Smooth flow
C
D
= 1.1
SQUARE PLATE
Turbulent flow
C
D
= 1.2
Shear layer
Basic bluff-body aerodynamics
Flat plates and walls normal to flow
No flow path around the sides (out of screen) - strong vortex generation
and shedding - lower base pressure - higher drag
C
D
= 1.9
Smooth flow
TWO-DIMENSIONAL PLATE
Basic bluff-body aerodynamics
Flat plates and walls normal to flow
Splitter plate induces re-attachment of flow - weaker, smaller vortices -
lower drag
TWO-DIMENSIONAL PLATE
C
D
= 1.4
splitter plate
Basic bluff-body aerodynamics
walls normal to flow
Walls on ground - boundary layer flow : U taken as U
h
(top of wall)
C
D
= 1.2
TWO-DIMENSIONAL WALL
Ground
SQUARE WALL
C
D
= 1.1
Ground
Basic bluff-body aerodynamics
walls normal to flow
Only slight dependency of C
D
on length / height (b/h)
Basic bluff-body aerodynamics
two square plates in series normal to flow
acts like a single plate
Spacing 0
b Combined C
d
~ 1.1
1.5b
Combined C
d
~ 0.8
combined drag is less
than single plate
(critical spacing = 1.5b)
Spacing
Combined C
d
~ 2.2
acts like two single plates
Basic bluff-body aerodynamics
porous plate
C
D
,
o
= C
D
. K
p

K
p
= porosity factor,

K
p
~ 1- (1-o)
2

K
p :
not sensitive to shape of openings
(plate could be a truss with linear members)
o = solidity = solid area/total area
Basic bluff-body aerodynamics
inclined plate
Primarily normal force
(negligible tangential component)
For angle of attack, o < 10 degrees,
Centre of pressure at h/4 from leading edge
C
N
~ 2t o
(o in radians)
C
N
~ 2to
o
4
h
reference area : plan area normal to surface
Basic bluff-body aerodynamics
inclined plate
As o increases, centre of pressure moves
towards centre of plate
C
N
= 1.5
45
o

0.4h
Basic bluff-body aerodynamics
rectangular prism (two dimensional)
Maximum C
d
at d/b ~0.7

3


2


1


0
0 1 2 3 4 5
d/b
C
d

Smooth flow
10
5
<Re<10
6
b
d
For d/b > 0.7, shear layers re-attach to sides of prism - drag is lower
Basic bluff-body aerodynamics
rectangular prism (two dimensional)
Effect of turbulence
With increasing turbulence intensity, d/b ratio for maximum C
d
falls
4



3


2



1



0

0 4 8 12 16 20
I
u
(%)

C
d
0.33
0.50

0.62

1.0
b
d
Turbulence promotes increased curvature of shear layers -
reattachment occurs at lower d/b ratio (shorter after-body length)
Basic bluff-body aerodynamics
rectangular prism (two dimensional)
Effect of turbulence
Partial
reattachment
lower drag
Higher
drag
d/b ~ 0.5
Higher
drag
Lower
drag
Decreased radius of curvature and
hence lower pressure due to
increased rate of entrainment of
wake fluid into the more turbulent
shear layer.
d/b = 0.1
b
d
Low
turbulence
High
turbulence


End of Lecture 8

John Holmes
225-405-3789 JHolmes@lsu.edu