Study of the Log-layer Structure in Wall Turbulence Over a Very Large Range of Reynolds Number

Abstract

Studies of the logarithmic layer structure in turbulent boundary layers are presented that span three orders of magnitude change in Reynolds number. The experiments considered used two separate laboratory scale facilities, as well as the atmospheric surface layer at the SLTEST facility in Utah. Several experimental techniques were used in order to probe the three-dimensional nature of the flow structures. The main focus is on two-point correlation statistics at a given z/δ, which are found to agree well over all Reynolds numbers when scaled with an outer length-scale. Large-scale coherence recently noted in the logarithmic region of laboratory-scale boundary layers is also found to be present in the atmospheric surface layer flow. Recent findings regarding the influence of these large scale motions on the near-wall region are also presented.