02/03/2020 2D Backward Facing Step

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2DBFS: 2D Backward Facing Step

NOTE: Previous versions of this page listed the Re based on step height as 50,000, but the actual value
according to D. M. Driver (personal communication) should be approximately 36,000. Although this change
generally results in only relatively minor differences, all CFD results have been updated as of 8/24/2012.

The purpose here is to provide a validation case for turbulence models. Unlike verification, which seeks to
establish that a model has been implemented correctly, validation compares CFD results against data in an
effort to establish a model's ability to reproduce physics. A large sequence of nested grids of the same family
are provided here if desired. Data are also provided for comparison. For this particular "essentially
incompressible" backward facing step problem, the data are from an experiment.

This is a widely-tested configuration. The particular data given here are from Driver and Seegmiller. This is
also a test case given in the ERCOFTAC Database (Classic Collection) #C.30 (Backward facing step with
inclined opposite wall), and has also been used in turbulence modeling workshops (see references below).

In this case, a turbulent boundary layer encounters a sudden back step, causing flow separation. The flow then
reattaches and recovers downstream of the step. The Reynolds number based on boundary layer momentum
thickness prior to the step is 5000. This corresponds to a Reynolds number of approximately 36,000 based on
step height H. The boundary layer thickness prior to the step is approximately 1.5H.

Boundary conditions appropriate for the CFD are shown in the following figure. Other than a short region with
symmetry imposed (to avoid possible incompatibilities between freestream inflow and wall BCs), both bottom
and top walls are treated as viscous walls. The original experiment varied the top wall angle, but for this test
case here only a straight top wall (zero angle) is considered.

In this case, the inflow length prior to the area of interest (near x=0) has been adjusted so that the naturally
developing turbulent boundary layer on the lower wall in the CFD solution grows to approximately the correct
thickness and yields approximately the correct wall skin friction coefficient prior to the step. (Note that in some
other studies, the inflow boundary layer profile is prescribed near x/H=-4 instead.) The back pressure is
adjusted to yield approximately the correct Mach number (M=0.128) upstream of the step. (Note that particular
variations of the BCs at the inflow and outflow may also work and yield similar results for this problem.)

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GRIDS
Some of the experimental data for this case are shown below. Velocity and turbulence profiles of interest are
chosen at the following x/H locations downstream of the step: x/H = 1, 4, 6, and 10.

The experimental data reference is: Driver, D. M. and Seegmiller, H. L., "Features of Reattaching Turbulent
Shear Layer in Divergent Channel Flow," AIAA Journal, Vol. 23, No. 2, Feb 1985, pp. 163-171. See also Eca et
al papers: AIAA-2009-3647, AIAA-2007-4089, and AIAA-2005-4728 for summaries of workshops that used this
experimental data (although note inconsistencies in ReH).

The Uref is the reference velocity at the center-channel near x/H=-4, used to nondimensionalize velocity and
turbulent shear stress profiles. The skin friction coefficient and pressure coefficient data were also both with
respect to conditions near this location. Note, however, that when plotted the pressure coefficient data has
been shifted uniformly so that Cp is 0 near the position x/H=40 or so. (This was also done by Eca et al in the
V&V Workshops referenced above.) The Cp experimental data file provided below contains both original and
shifted values.

One of the key measures of success for this flowfield is the prediction of reattachment point downstream of the
step. In the experiment, this was determined (by laser oil-flow interferometer measurements of skin-friction and
interpolation of the zero skin-friction location) to be:

x/Hreattach = 6.26 +- 0.10

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The experimental data used are provided here:

Backstep Cp data (revised on 2/28/2014)

Backstep Cf data (revised on 10/17/2015)
Backstep profiles

Note that the complete original data from this experiment are included on this site in the Collaborative Testing
of Turbulence Models page, under "More Recent Incompressible Flow Cases".
 
 

What to Expect:
LINK TO
RESULTS EQUATIONS
MRR Level

SA SA eqns 4

SST SST eqns 3

SST-V SST-V eqns 3

Wilcox2006-klim Wilcox2006-klim 2

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eqns
K-kL-MEAH2015
K-kL-MEAH2015 eqns
3

EASMko2003-S EASMko2003-S eqns 1

K-e-Rt K-e-Rt eqns 1

(Other turbulence model results may be added in the future.)

Note that the OVERFLOW code has documentated its results for this validation case (for the SA-noft2, SA-
noft2-RC, SST, and SST-V turbulence models) in NAS Technical Paper 2016-01 (pdf file) (18.3 MB) by
Jespersen, Pulliam, and Childs.
 
 

Return to: Turbulence Modeling Resource Home Page

 
 

Recent significant updates:

10/17/2015 - corrected minor typo in experimental Backstep Cf data file
02/28/2014 - more description of Cp shift, and new Cp data file
03/07/2014 - BC figure modified

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Responsible NASA Official: Christopher Rumsey

Page Curator: Christopher Rumsey
Last Updated: 04/11/2018
 

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