Turbulence Modeling

As part of field, experimental and computational studies of flow in open channels and over bedforms, researchers at GSTL have carried out a variety of studies on turbulence, both in regard to how it can be treated in computational models and its role in a variety of morphodynamics problems. The laboratory at GSTL is equipped with both acoustic and laser flow measurement (LDV) devices capable of making flow measurements at turbulence-resolving frequencies with high spatial resolution. Researchers at the lab have developed computational code that explicitly treats the role of turbulence both for flow modeling and sediment transport. We also have an active collaboration with academic scientists working on direct-numerical simulation and large eddy modeling. The photos and videos below show some simple examples of this kind of work, which also is also described in the project sections on flow over bedforms and sediment-transport mechanics.

LDV setup in Flume
LDV setup to measure flow components

Video of flow characteristics downstream of backward step
Large-eddy simulation dowstream of backward step

Velocity downstream of wall barriers
Streamwise velocity dowstream of wall barriers

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