Roughness constant selection for atmospheric boundary layer simulations using a k-ω SST turbulence model within a commercial CFD solver

Abstract

Transit of an atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) profile within computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations is often hindered through unintended streamwise gradients in the flow resulting in ABL inhomogeneity. Within Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) turbulence modeling in Ansys Fluent, user-defined wall functions are not available for the k–ω class of RANS models as a remedy to this problem. Instead, the practitioner is required to use the sand–grain roughness property for ground surface roughness calibration, and specify a roughness height and roughness constant, Cs, accordingly. To-date, no clear guidance on their selection is available that can accommodate both high and low roughness terrains. To overcome this, a straightforward and practical calculation is presented for the roughness constant based on the standard wall function implementation. When this calculation is synthesized with other best-practice guidelines, it is possible to reliably model transiting ABL profiles based on wind-tunnel data whilst minimizing effects due to ABL inhomogeneity.