Effects of transition on wind tunnel simulation of vehicel dynamics

Abstract

Among the many problems the test engineer faces when trying to simulate full-scale vehicle dynamics in a wind tunnel test is the fact that the test usually will be performed at Reynolds numbers far below those existing on the full-scale vehicle. It is found that a severe scaling problem may exist even in the case of attached flow. The strong coupling existing between boundary layer transition and vehicle motion can cause the wind tunnel results to be very misleading, in some cases dangerously so. For example, the subscale test could fail to show a dynamic stability problem existing in full-scale flight, or, conversely, show one that does not exist. When flow separation occurs together with boundary layer transition, the scaling problem becomes more complicated, and the potential for dangerously misleading subscale test results increases. The existing literature is reviewed to provide examples of the different types of dynamic simulation problems that the test engineer is likely to face. It should be emphasized that the difficulties presented by transition effects in the case of wind tunnel simulation of vehicle dynamics apply to the same extent to numeric simulation methods.