Resolvent-based modelling of streaky

structures in turbulent pipe flow

Leandra I. Abreu, André V. G. Cavalieri – (ITA – Brazil)

Philipp Schlatter, Ricardo Vinuesa and Dan Henningson – (KTH - Sweden)

TSFP11 - July 30 to August 2, 2019, Southampton, UK

Topics

• Introduction / Objective
• Methods
• SPOD
• Resolvent analysis
• Description of the employed database
• Results
• Conclusions

2
Introduction

In turbulent wall-bounded flows at moderate Reynolds numbers,

near-wall streaks are the most typically observed coherent
structures.

Elongated structures in streamwise direction.

U∞
!" → ∞ or !" ≫ !& y+=5

First observed by Kline et al.

1967 experimentally.

Dominants near the wall.

Extremely relevant for the lift-

up mechanism
(Ellingsen & Palm 1975)
(Kline et al. 1967)
3
Introduction

In turbulent wall-bounded flows at moderate Reynolds numbers,

near-wall streaks are the most typically observed coherent
structures.

Elongated structures in streamwise direction.

!" → ∞ or !" ≫ !& Lift-up mechanisnm

Streamwise vortices leads to the formation
First observed by Kline et al. of streaks
1967 experimentally.

Dominants near the wall.

Extremely relevant for the lift-

up mechanism
(Ellingsen & Palm 1975)
4
Introduction

Such streaky structures can also be identified by statistical methods

2D premultiplied energy spectrum POD

Del Álamo & Jimenez 2003 Hellstrom & Smits 2017

• Characteristic wavelength in inner scale ("$ $

# , "& ) ≈ (1000, 100)

• Typical located at + $ ≈ 15

5
Introduction

Streaks can be modeled with theoretical approach, such as transient

growth and resolvent analysis

Transient growth Resolvent analysis

x x
U∞ U∞
Cossu et al. 2009 Sharma & McKeon 2013

6
Introduction
Recent works have explored the connection of SPOD modes with the
flow responses to stochastic forcing using the linearized resolvent
operator:
Jet Airfoil

(Towne et al. 2019) (Abreu et al. 2018)

7
Objective

Map out the similarities of SPOD and resolvent

modes for the case of the canonical turbulent
pipe flow for a range of relevant wavenumbers
and frequencies.

8
Methods
SPOD
SPOD is a signal post-processing
approach, that finds in an
ensemble of realisations "($,
! &),
an orthonormal basis, called SPOD
modes Ψ($), which maximize the
square energy.

(Abreu et al. 2017)

(Towne et al. 2018)

9
Methods
SPOD
SPOD is a signal post-processing
approach, that finds in an
ensemble of realisations "($,
! &),
an orthonormal basis, called SPOD
modes Ψ($), which maximize the
square energy.
(Abreu et al. 2017)
(Towne et al. 2018)
Resolvent analysis
Is a theoretical approach that
evaluates the flow response to a
given harmonic forcing.
Provides two orthonormal basis,
one for forcing ()), and another
for response ("),
! related by a gain
(*).
(Jovanovic & Bamieh 2005)
(Bagheri et al. 2009)
(McKeon & Sharma 2010)
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Methods
SPOD Resolvent analysis
SPOD is a signal post-processing If )1 >> ), then it is likely that
approach, that finds in an the first mode dominates the flow
ensemble of realisations "($,
! &),
an orthonormal basis, called SPOD
modes Ψ($), which maximize the
square energy. The optimal response is probably
present in the turbulent flow.

(Abreu et al. 2017) (Jovanovic & Bamieh 2005)

(Towne et al. 2018) (Bagheri et al. 2009)
(McKeon & Sharma 2010)
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Methods
SPOD Resolvent analysis
"! = $ %'⁄( )* "! = +,- − / 0' 21

12
Methods
SPOD Resolvent analysis
"! = $ %'⁄( )* "! = +,- − / 0' 21

eigenvalues
(energy) Resolvent operator
SPOD modes 3 = 4 5 6*
Response modes Forcing modes
Gains

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Methods
SPOD Resolvent analysis
"! = $ %'⁄( )* "! = +-,

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Methods
SPOD Resolvent analysis
"! = $ %'⁄( )* "! = +-,

$ %'⁄( )* = +-,

15
Methods
SPOD Resolvent analysis
"! = $ %'⁄( )* "! = +-,

$ %'⁄( )* = +-,

Multiplying each side by the complex-conjugate, where ε() is the expected

value:
$%$* = . / 0* ℇ 32 32 * 0 / .*

16
Methods
SPOD Resolvent analysis
"! = $ %'⁄( )* "! = +-,

$ %'⁄( )* = +-,

Multiplying each side by the complex-conjugate, where ε() is the expected

value:
$%$* = . / 0* ℇ 32 32 * 0 / .*

If ℇ 32 32 * = 4 is spatial white noise, then:

$%$* = ./5 .*

17
Methods
SPOD Resolvent analysis
"! = $ %'⁄( )* "! = +-,

$ %'⁄( )* = +-,

Multiplying each side by the complex-conjugate, where ε() is the expected

value:
$%$* = . / 0* ℇ 32 32 * 0 / .*

If ℇ 32 32 * = 4 is spatial white noise, then:

$%$* = ./5 .*

SPOD modes = resolvent modes

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 Database description
Fully resolved DNS was performed by El-Khoury et al. (2013) of an
incompressible viscous fluid in a smooth circular pipe of axial length
25# in the turbulent flow regime at two friction Reynolds numbers:

$%& '( ') '* '+ ∆(

180 205 450 48 240 4Ub/R

550 260 512 108 256 1Ub/R

#-. = 550 inst. axial vorticity: #-. = 180 and #-. = 550 inst. axial velocity:
(El-Khoury et al. 2013)

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Turbulence
Instantaneous streamwise velocity fluctuations !′#
Results in the buffer layer (1 − ')+ ≈ 15

(,# #
- , ,/ ) ≈ 1000,100

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Spectral analysis

2D premultiplied power-spectral density of the axial velocity !"# !$# %&&

#

Results in the the buffer layer (1 − *)+ ≈ 15

x x

(/# #
" , /$ ) ≈ 1000,100

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 Results of comparison
Comparison between first SPOD mode and optimal response from
resolvent analysis, for (!# # #
" , !% , & ) = (1000, 100, 0.06)
SPOD mode 1 optimal response
012 = 180
012 = 550

? − A components of the vortices (arrows) and B component of the streak (red and blue contours) 22
Results of comparison
Projection coefficient:

Three homogeneous directions: t, x and !

Evaluate combinations ("$ ,

# & "$ ,'$ ) that lead to a certain agreement

We defined the metric:

Thus, ( = 1 indicates a perfect alignment between both vectors,

and ( = 0 indicates that the modes are orthogonal.

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Results of comparison
!"# = 180

The red dashed line: )+ +

* = 2)-

• Better agreement mostly bellow this line,

which are parameters of streaky structures

+
!"# = 550 The black dashed line: )+ +
* = ./0* )1

• Phase velocity equal to the maximum

velocity

24
Results of comparison
SPOD eigenvalues Resolvent gains
!"# = 180

!"# = 550

25
Results of comparison
SPOD eigenvalues Resolvent gains
!"# = 180

!"# = 550

26
Results of comparison
!"# = 180

To explore physical reasons behind these

agreements:
• use an indicator of the lift-up
mechanism using the optimal forcing
and associated response from resolvent
analysis.
!"# = 550

Active when the forcing is related to

streamwise vortices and the associated
responses to streaks
(white contour line)

27
Conclusions

ü Results show good agreement between SPOD and resolvent,

mostly for !# #
" > 2!&

ü Results show a clear lift-up effect for regions with good

agreement between SPOD and resolvent modes.

28
Conclusions

ü Results show good agreement between SPOD and resolvent,

mostly for !# #
" > 2!&

ü Results show a clear lift-up effect for regions with good

agreement between SPOD and resolvent modes.
Ø Resolvent analysis provides a simplified model leading to an
accurate representation of the streaky structures associated to
the lift-up mechanism.
• Allows simple predictions of the dominant structures in turbulent
flows.

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Conclusions

ü Results show good agreement between SPOD and resolvent,

mostly for !# #
" > 2!&

ü Results show a clear lift-up effect for regions with good

agreement between SPOD and resolvent modes.
Ø Resolvent analysis provides a simplified model leading to an
accurate representation of the streaky structures associated to
the lift-up mechanism.
• Allows simple predictions of the dominant structures in turbulent
flows.

As the lift-up effect is the basis of bypass transition in boundary

layers, extension of control methods used in bypass transition is a
promising direction for the control of wall-bounded turbulence.

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 Thank you
for your attention!

Email: leandraabreu13@gmail.com
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