Turbulent boundary layer response to uniform changes of the pressure force contribution

Abstract

We investigate a turbulent boundary layer (TBL) with uniform pressure force variations, focusing on understanding its response to local pressure force, local pressure force variation (local disequilibrating effect), and upstream history. The studied flow starts as a zero-pressure-gradient (ZPG) TBL, followed by a uniform increase in the ratio of pressure force to turbulent force in the outer region and concludes with a uniform decrease of the same magnitude. The second zone includes a subzone with a diminishing adverse-pressure-gradient (APG), followed by an increasing favorable-pressure-gradient (FPG). In both subzones, the impact remains the same: mean momentum gain in the boundary layer and reduced turbulence. In the outer region, the mean flow responds to force balance changes with a considerable delay. The accumulated flow history effects lead to a FPG TBL at the domain's end with a momentum defect comparable to APG TBLs. Below $y^+=10$, the mean flow responds almost instantaneously to pressure force changes. In the overlap layer, the profiles deviate from the conventional logarithmic law of the ZPG TBL. Regarding the outer-layer turbulence, its subsequent decay is slower than its initial increase, the latter persisting even after the pressure force begins to decrease. As a result of the slow turbulence decay, the FPG TBL at the domain's end exhibits unusually high outer turbulence levels. Near the wall, turbulence responds with a delay to changes in the pressure force partly due to large-scale turbulence influence. This study underscores the complexity of the triple action of the pressure force.