Stream function

Friday, August 4, 2023 11:21 AM

Consider a 2D incompressible flow with

velocity vector field V=(u,v)
We can define stream function

Plug this into continuity for incompressible flow

(

Therefore, when we define velocities in terms

of stream functions, we are automatically
satisfying continuity.

Recall, we defined velocity potential for

irrotational flows (zero vorticity) as

Where this form, automatically

satisfies curl-free velocity condition
for irrotational flows

Plug in this definition into continuity equation,

we see that it satisfies Laplace equation:
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we see that it satisfies Laplace equation:

Therefore, is a harmonic and linear function.

We can show that if the flow is irrotational (so

we can define then we also get

So for irrotational flow is also harmonic

Interpreting stream functions

On curves of constant we have:

This gives

Note that this is our definition of streamlines!

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Note that this is our definition of streamlines!

Therefore, Lines of constant

are the streamlines

Exercise: Using a similar differential derivation

for the potential function show that lines of
constant are perpendicular to streamlines.

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Stress tensor
Friday, August 4, 2023 11:44 AM

Surface forces --> Stress (force per unit

area)

Normal stress

Shear stress

Stress tensor:

Stress (tensor) = Force (vector) / Area (vector)

The stress tensor is symmetric (We can show

this using conservation of angular momentum).

The stress tensor is a function of space and

time. Therefore, at each point we have 6 stress
values (note the stress tensor is symmetric).

What if we fix the orientation (area vector) at a

point and want to understand the stress there?
Fixing the orientation at a point reduces stress
from tensor to vector (we call this traction, and
in some literature stress vector).

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Wall shear stress (WSS)
Friday, August 4, 2023 2:31 PM

We saw how shear stress can be calculated

using Newton's law of viscous friction in
lecture 1 for simple unidirectional flow.

Calculating shear stress for a general

multidirectional flow is based on traction:

Shear stress = Tangential component of traction

vector.

Wall shear stress (WSS) vector = tangential

component of traction at the wall

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Movie
Saturday, August 12, 2023 10:45 AM

Wall shear stress vector (blood flow in an

aneurysm). High-resolution (HR) simulations
can pickup instability patterns that low-
resolution CFD misses
Wall shear stress instabilities in a cerebral
aneurysm

WSS magnitude in pulsatile blood flow

Cardiovascular blood flow simulation

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