Lab session 4: Report

Experimental investigation of turbulent boundary layers

Student name: Andrea ERIC

1-First, we need to convert all three text files into csv files and then into xlsx files. Then, we need to
swap all points (.) in the values with commas (,) to be able to plot. For the following plots, data from
the first column (mean streamwise velocity) was plotted as a function of data from the last column
(height).

U[m/s]
6
Mean streamwise velocity in m/s

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6
Height in m

From the plot 1, we can see that the free stream velocity appears to be around 5 m/s.

U[m/s]
6
Mean streamwise velocity in m/s

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6
Height in m

From the plot 2, we can see that the free stream velocity appears to be around also 5 m/s.
If we compare the two graphs, we can deduce that the boundary layer for a rough surface is the first
graph, where the velocity is lower when the limit is 0. Therefore, the second graph is the boundary
layer for a smooth surface.

2- The height of the boundary layer 1 seems to be around 0,42m. As for the height of the boundary
layer 2, it seems to be slightly taller, around 0,47m.

3-For plot 1, we are going to take: Uref = 5 m/s and zref = 0,42 m. After trying with different couple
values of U(z) and z and a few iterations on α we find that the shear exponent value is about: α =
0,24.

For plot 2, we are going to take: Uref = 5 m/s and zref = 0,47 m. Using the same approach as before
we find: α = 0,20.

6
Mean streamwise velocity in m/s

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6
Height in m

Plot1

Chart Title
6
Mean streamwise velocity in m/s

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6
Height in m
Plot2

4- We are given that: 𝑈(𝑧) = (𝑢∗/𝜅) * log(𝑧/𝑧0), Rearranging this equation, we get:

ln(𝑧) = (𝑘 /𝑢∗) * 𝑢(𝑧) + ln (𝑧0)

Therefore, k/u* corresponds to the slope of the linear line of ln(z) as a function of u(z), while ln(z0) is
the y-axis intercept. We are going to consider only the lowest 15% of the profiles.

For the plot 1, this corresponds to heights lower than 0.42*0.15 = 0.063m. Calculating the value of
ln(z) for z values lower than 0.0585m and then plotting them as a function of velocity leads to the
following semi-log representation:

Ln(z)=f(U(z))
-1.72.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 3 3.1 3.2

-2.1

-2.5

-2.9 f(x) = 1.5124559175557 x − 7.53632094267206

Ln(z)

-3.3

-3.7

-4.1

-4.5

U(z)

As we can see in the plot, we have the following equation: y = 1,5125x – 7.5363.

If we assume k = 0.41, we find:

Friction velocity u* [m/s] 0,27

Aerodynamic roughness length z0 [m] 5,33 * 10^ (-4)

For plot2, we consider heights lower than 0,0705m and we repeat the same steps as for BL_1.

We get:
 Ln(z)=f(U(z))
-1.5
2.3 2.5 2.7 2.9 3.1 3.3 3.5
-2

-2.5
Ln(z)

-3 f(x) = 1.68163996668961 x − 8.36939037431969

-3.5

-4

-4.5

U(z)

As we can see in the plot, we have the following equation: y = 1,6816x – 8,3694.

If we assume k = 0.41, we find:

Friction velocity u* [m/s] 0,244

Aerodynamic roughness length z0 [m] 2,32 * 10^ (-4)

5-For each boundary layer, we are going to assume the last measured value of velocity to be U∞.
Hence, for plot1 the streamwise turbulence intensity is given by: Iu = σu / 5. Plotting it as a function
of height gives:

0.09

0.08
streamwise turbulence intensity

0.07

0.06

0.05

0.04

0.03

0.02

0.01

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6
Height (m)

For plot2, we have Iu = σu / 5 and we get:

 0.08

0.07
streamwise turbulence intensity

0.06

0.05

0.04

0.03

0.02

0.01

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6
Height (m)

Comparing these plots, we can see that the turbulence intensity I is the lowest for the smooth
surface, which seems plausible.

6- Table reporting key characteristics of the boundary layer:

Friction velocity u* Aerodynamic roughness length z0 Shear exponent α

Plot1 0,27 5,33 * 10^ (-4) 0,24
Plot2 0,244 2,32 * 10^ (-4) 0,20

-As we can see, friction velocity, aerodynamic roughness length and turbulence intensity increase
with increasing surface roughness.

Important Note: All plots in this report were done using an excel file, thus no code was written.