Shock Wave and Boundary Layer Interactions

Abstract

The interaction of a shock wave with boundary layer is called the Shock–Boundary Layer Interactions (SBLIs). This interaction has a profound effect on the performance of a vehicle flying at high Mach numbers, especially in hypersonic flow regime. Because of their ubiquitous presence at supersonic and hypersonic speeds and their influence on the vehicle performance, the studies on SBLIs have been a challenging task among the researchers for past seven decades. This chapter explores the fundamental aspects of SBLIs with an emphasis on understanding the physics behind these interactions. The major outcomes of a few experimental studies performed in the author’s laboratory are also discussed.