Adaptation of Eddy-Viscosity Turbulence Models to Unsteady Separated Flow Behind Vehicles

TLDR: Turbulence model development for aerodynamic applications has for many years concentrated on improving the capabilities of CFD methods for separation prediction as discussed by the authors, which has led to a series of models capable of capturing boundary layer separation in good agreement with experimental data.

Abstract: Turbulence model development for aerodynamic applications has for many years concentrated on improving the capabilities of CFD methods for separation prediction. Validation studies of turbulence models in the ‘80th have clearly shown that most turbulence models were not capable of predicting the development of turbulent boundary layers under adverse pressure gradient conditions. Based on that observation, new models were developed to specifically meet this challenge, resulting in a series of models capable of capturing boundary layer separation in good agreement with experimental data (Johnson and King 1984, Menter 1993, Spalart and Allmaras 1994).