Alternate Scales for Turbulent

Boundary Layer on Transitional

Rough Walls: Universal Log Laws
The present work deals with four new alternate transitional surface roughness scales for
description of the turbulent boundary layer. The nondimensional roughness scale ␾ is
associated with the transitional roughness wall inner variable ␨ = Z+ / ␾, the roughness
friction Reynolds number R␾ = R␶ / ␾, and the roughness Reynolds number Re␾ = Re/ ␾.

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Noor Afzal
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Aligarh University,
Aligarh 202002, India
e-mail: noor.afzal@yahoo.com
The two layer theory for turbulent boundary layers in the variables, mentioned above, is
presented by method of matched asymptotic expansions for large Reynolds numbers. The
matching in the overlap region is carried out by the Izakson–Millikan–Kolmogorov hy-
pothesis, which gives the velocity profiles and skin friction universal log laws, explicitly
independent of surface roughness, having the same constants as the smooth wall case. In
these alternate variables, just above the wall roughness level, the mean velocity and
Reynolds stresses are universal and do not depend on surface roughness. The extensive
experimental data provide very good support to our universal relations. There is no
universality of scalings in traditional variables and different expressions are needed for
inflectional type roughness, monotonic Colebrook–Moody roughness, k-type roughness,
d-type roughness, etc. In traditional variables, the velocity profile and skin friction pre-
dictions for the inflectional roughness, k-type roughness, and d-type roughness are sup-
ported well by the extensive experimental data. The pressure gradient effect from the
matching conditions in the overlap region leads to the universal composite laws, which
for weaker pressure gradients yields log laws and for strong adverse pressure gradients
provides the half-power laws for universal velocity profiles and in traditional variables
the additive terms in the two situations depend on the wall roughness.
关DOI: 10.1115/1.2844583兴

1 Introduction tion coefficient. The experiments for determination of the rough-

The rough wall flows are of great importance, but they are
much more poorly understood than flows over smooth walls. The
technological importance of rough wall bounded turbulent flows is
well known. In many situations, a turbulent flow develops over
surfaces that are hydrodynamically rough for some portion of
their length. The major impact of wall roughness is to perturb the
wall layer, which, in general, leads to an increase in wall shear
stress. The increase in wall shear stress is almost invariably ac-
companied by an increase in the wall heat and mass transfer rate.
Millikan 关1兴 was first to propose the two layer asymptotic
theory. For transitional rough and fully smooth pipes in the wall
region, he adopted the smooth wall variable Z+ and for fully rough
pipes, he used the inner wall variable Z / h. Millikan proposed the
log law, where the prefactor is the Karman constant 共a universal
number兲 and the additive term depends on wall roughness and
represents a shift of the velocity profile in the overlap region.
Furthermore, for fully rough walls, the additive intercept also has
a universal value that differs from the fully smooth wall value.
Clauser 关2兴 and Hama 关3兴 simplified the matter and represented
the rough wall by defining a roughness function ⌬U+, as an addi-
tional term to smooth wall log law, that arises from the transitional
rough wall region as given below ⌬U+ = 共u / u␶兲S − 共u / u␶兲, where
suffix S refers to the fully smooth wall. The shift in the overlap
region remains the same as estimated at the edge of turbulent
boundary layer 共y = ␦, u = Uc兲 as ⌬U+ = 共Uc / u␶兲S − 共Uc / u␶兲
S − 共2 / C f 兲 , where C f = 2␶w / ␳Uc is the local skin fric-
= 共2 / C f 兲1/2
1/2 2
ness function ⌬U+ have been described in Flack et al. 关4兴 and
Connelly et al. 关5兴. The roughness function ⌬U+ is a useful de-
scriptor of the surface roughness effects on mean velocity distri-
bution in the inner region. It physically represents the roughness
dominated shift in the velocity profile from the log law of a
smooth wall. For ⌬U+ ⬎ 0, the shift is downward due to the in-
crease of the drag and for ⌬U+ ⬍ 0, the shift is upward due to the
reduction of the drag of the rough surface 共Abe et al. 关6兴兲. The
roughness function ⌬U+, such as friction velocity u␶, is a charac-
teristic of the hydraulic wall roughness subjected to the oncoming
fluid stream. The roughness function ⌬U+ data for various types
of roughness may be found in Schlichting 关7兴, Ligrani and Moffat
关8兴, Bandyopadhyay 关9兴, Raupach et al. 关10兴, Patel 关11兴, Piquet
关12兴, Jimenez 关13兴, Leonardi et al. 关14兴, Afzal and Seena 关15兴,
Djendi et al. 关16兴, Mochizuki et al. 关17兴, Afzal 关18兴, and Schultz
and Flack 关19兴.
The normal coordinate is Z = y + ⑀r, where ⑀r is the origin of the
normal coordinate on the rough surface, caused by irregular pro-
trusions of the hydraulic roughness of height h. It is a particular
level between the protrusion bases and heads, which automatically
satisfies the constraints 0 ⬍ ⑀r ⬍ h and ⑀r = 0 for smooth surface.
Clauser 关2兴 proposed a method of determining the effective sur-
face roughness origin ⑀r and skin friction u␶. The methods used
for determination of the wall shear stress on the rough surfaces are
not ideal. The modified Clauser chart method assumes that the log
law is valid for rough wall boundary layers and requires the solu-
tion of additional degrees of freedom 共the wall offset and the

roughness function ⌬U+兲. Krogstad et al. 关20兴 modified this pro-

Contributed by the Fluids Engineering Division of ASME for publication in the
JOURNAL OF FLUIDS ENGINEERING. Manuscript received March 30, 2007; final manu-
script received November 2, 2007; published online April 1, 2008. Assoc. Editor:
Philip M. Ligrani.
cedure by including the wake region in the determination of the
wall shear stress. Although this method allows for more points in
the boundary layer to be used in determining the wall shear stress,
it assumes both the existence of the log law and the functional

Journal of Fluids Engineering Copyright © 2008 by ASME APRIL 2008, Vol. 130 / 041202-1
form of the law of the wake for rough wall flows. The method also
simultaneously determines C f and ⌬U+. Acharya et al. 关21兴 ob-
served that simultaneous selection of these parameters can yield
an improved statistical fit of the data but may, in some cases, give
an increase error in C f . Using the total stress method on rough
wall boundary layers has its own shortcomings. This method re-
lies on a plateau in the Reynolds shear stress profile, which is
often not clearly defined in the roughness sublayer, and has fairly
high measurement uncertainty in this region 共Schultz and Flack
关19,22兴兲.
The theories of the transitionally rough wall turbulent boundary
layer are based on the inner layer fully smooth wall variable Z+
= Zu␶ / ␯ or the fully rough wall variable Z / h 共Schlichting 关7兴,
Raupach et al. 关10兴, Patel 关11兴, Piquet 关12兴, and Jimenez 关13兴兲.
There is no universality of scalings in traditional variables and
different expressions are needed for various types of roughness, as
suggested, for example, with inflectional type roughness, mono-
tonic Colebrook 关23兴—Moody 关24兴 roughness, k-type/d-type
roughness, etc., are predicted in present work. The alternative
scale is connected with traditional roughness function. This alter-
nate scale provides the wall roughness effects in the new inner
wall length scale ␨ = Z+ / ␾, which has opened the avenues of new
parameters, such as roughness friction Reynolds number and
roughness Reynolds numbers. These new parameters provide uni-
versal velocity profile and universal friction factor relations that
are explicitly independent of wall roughness. It also helps to yield
the traditional relations and also provides insight into the rough-
ness scale ␾ formaulation for inflectionl type roughness as well as
k-type and d-type roughness. On the other hand, the traditional
study of rough wall is based on fully smooth wall inner scale Z+,
where the effect of the wall roughness shows a shift of the veloc-
ity profile log law by an amount equal to the roughness function
over the fully smooth wall layer log law.
The present work deals with an alternate new transitional sur-
face roughness scale ␾ for a turbulent boundary layer, in terms of
the transitional roughness inner variable ␨ = Z+ / ␾ and the rough-
ness friction Reynolds number R␾, where the velocity and Rey-
nolds stresses are explicity independent of transitional wall rough-
ness. The two layer theory for a turbulent boundary layer based on
new alternate variables has been presented at large Reynolds num-
bers by method on matched asymptotic expansions. In the overlap
region, the matching by the Izakson–Millikan–Kolmogorov hy-
pothesis 关25兴 for velocity profiles and friction factor gives log
laws that are universal explicitly independent of wall roughness,
which implicitly involve nondimensional roughness scale ␾. The
extensive experimental data provide good support to the universal
log laws for the velocity profile and the friction factor on transi-
tional rough wall boundary layers. The effects of the pressure
gradient on the matching conditions in the overlap region lead to
the composite laws, described in Appendix A. For weaker pres-
sure gradient, the matching provides the log laws and for strong
adverse pressure gradient the matching yields the half-power
laws, where the additive constant in both situations in the inner
layer depends on the wall roughness.
2 Analysis of Turbulent Boundary Layer
The boundary layer equations for incompressible two-
dimensional mean turbulent flow subjected to pressure gradient, in
standard notation 共Schlichting 关7兴兲, are
⳵u ⳵v
+ =0 共1兲
⳵x ⳵ y
⳵u ⳵u 1 dp ⳵ 2u 1 ⳵ ␶
u +v =− +␯ 2 + 共2兲
⳵x ⳵y ␳ dx ⳵y ␳ ⳵y
The boundary conditions are y = 0, u = v = ␶ = 0, and y / ␦ → ⬁, u
→ Uc共x兲, ␶ → 0. Here u and v are the velocity components in x
streamwise and y the normal directions. ␶ = −␳具u⬘v⬘典 is the appro-
041202-2 / Vol. 130, APRIL 2008
priate Reynolds shear stress, p⬘共x兲 = −␳UcdUc / dx is the stream-
wise pressure gradient, Uc共x兲 is the velocity at the edge of the
turbulent boundary layer of thickness ␦, ␯ is the molecular kine-
matic viscosity, and ␳ is the fluid density.
The present work defines the roughness velocity u␾ and rough-
ness coordinate y ␾, in terms of axial velocity u at normal distance
y, as y ␾ = y / ␾ and u␾ = u / ␾, where ␾ is the nondimensional
roughness scale defined later, such that all mean relative motions
and energy-containing components of the turbulent motion do not
depend on surface roughness. The appropriate inner variables are
Zu␶␾ Z+ Zu␶
␨= = , Z+ = , Z = y + ⑀r 共3兲
␯ ␾ ␯
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where u+ = u␾ / u␶␾ = u / u␶ and u␶␾ = u␶ / ␾. Here, ⑀r is the virtual
origin located below the top of the roughness element, u␶
= 共␶w / ␳兲1/2 is the friction velocity, and ␶w is the skin friction. The
roughness friction Reynolds number R␾ and roughness Reynolds
number Re␾ are
␦u␶␾ R␶ ␦Uc␾ Re
R␾ = = , Re␾ = = 共4兲
␯ ␾ ␯ ␾
where R␶ = ␦u␶ / ␯ and Re= ␦Uc / ␯. The two Reynolds numbers are
connected by the relation R␾ = Re␾共C f / 2兲1/2 and C f = 2共u␶ / Uc兲2,
where C f is the skin friction coefficient. The transitional rough
wall experimental data analyzed here show that the nondimen-
sional roughness scale ␾ may be connected to traditional nondi-
mensional roughness function ⌬U+ by relation
1
⌬U+ = ln ␾, ␾ = exp共k⌬U+兲 共5兲
k
The traditional approach to turbulent shear flow of a rough wall
is based on the roughness function ⌬U+, which represents the shift
of the velocity profile on a rough wall over the smooth wall value
共based on fully smooth wall coordinate y +兲. In the present work,
effects on roughness are introduced by defining a nondimensional
wall variable ␨ = Z+ / ␾, such that the theory is explicitly indepen-
dent of transitional surface roughness. The velocity profile data in
the alternate wall variable ␨ and the friction factor data in the
alternate parameter Re␾ = Re/ ␾, the roughness Reynolds number,
show universality, as the results do not explicitly depend on sur-
face transitional roughness. The nondimensional roughness scale
␾ for the inflectional type roughness is predicted here which turns
out to be a simple expression. It leads to an expression for the
frictional resistance 共in the case of inflectional rough surface
boundary layer in the present work兲. The inflectional roughness in
a fully developed turbulent pipe flow has been considered by
Afzal and Seena 关16兴. The well known Moody diagram described
the frictional resistance for monotonic roughness by Colebrook
关23兴 and Moody 关24兴, where the present work deals with such a
diagram for the inflectional roughness 共Nikuradse 关25兴兲. The over-
all description of turbulent shear flow has been in terms of two
separate length scales 共inner wall and outer nonlinear wake兲 at
large Reynolds numbers. The appropriate parameter R␾ is the
roughness friction Reynolds number.
2.1 Inner Wall Layer. The inner region scales 共␯ and u␶␾兲
give the inner length scale ␯ / u␶␾ in the inner limit ␨ fixed for
R␾ → ⬁. The velocity and Reynolds stress in the inner variables
are
Zu␶␾
u = ␾2u␶␾ui共␨,R␾兲, ␶ = ␳␾2u␶␾
2
␶+共␨,R␾兲, ␨= 共6兲
␯
The momentum equation 共2兲 in the inner rough wall layer be-
comes
Transactions of the ASME
 ⳵ui ␯ p⬘ turbulent shear flow without any closure, following Afzal and
+ ␶+ = 1 + K␾␨ + O共⑀R␾兲−1, K␾ = 共7兲 Narasimha 关26兴, by Izakson–Millikan–Kolmogorov 共IMK兲 hy-
⳵␨ ␾2␳u␾3
pothesis: Between the viscous and the energetic scales in any
where K␾ represents the nondimensional pressure gradient param- turbulent flow exists an overlap domain over which the solutions
eter characterizing the flow in the two corresponding limits must
match as the Reynolds number approaches infinity. The resem-
2.2 Outer Layer. The outer layer length scale ␦ and the outer blance of the IMK hypothesis to conventional matching associated
limit are Y = Z / ␦ fixed for R␾ → ⬁. The velocity and Reynolds with closed equations seems peculiar to turbulence theory. For
stress in the outer layer variables are sufficiently large Reynolds numbers, there exists an overlap do-
Z
Y= ,
␦
X= 冕 L−1dx,
␦
L
= ⑀2 共8兲
main where the inner and outer layer solutions must match. The
matching of inner and outer layer velocities in the overlap region,
for large Reynolds numbers, requires

⳵f ␾ui共X, ␨兲 = Uc+F0共X,Y兲 − F1共X,Y兲 共18兲

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u = UcF共X,Y兲, F= , ␶ = ␳u2␶ T共X,Y兲 共9兲
⳵Y where Uc+共R␾兲 = Uc / u␶ for ␨ → ⬁, Y → 0 for R␾ → ⬁. This is an
Here, ␦ is the outer boundary layer thickness and L is the scale of open functional equation connecting four unknown functions. The
flow variations in the x direction. Equations 共1兲 and 共2兲 in outer relation 共18兲 provides the matching functional equations, as we
layer become are dealing with open equations of mean turbulent shear flow
without any closure, by IMK hypothesis 共Afzal and Narasimha
1 关26兴兲. The resemblance of the IMK hypothesis to conventional
共1 − ␤兲T⬘ + f f ⬙ + ␤共1 − f ⬘2兲 + X共1 − ␤兲共f ⬙ f X − f ⬘ f X⬘ 兲 matching associated with closed equations seems peculiar to tur-
␹
bulence theory. For sufficiently large Reynolds numbers, there
共1 − ␤兲 exists an overlap domain where the inner and outer layer solutions
=− f⵮ 共10兲
␹R␶ must match. For R␾ → ⬁, the function U+⬁ → ⬁ and the relations
共18兲 require that the inner velocity distribution ui共X , ␨兲 should be
subjected to the boundary conditions at the edge of the boundary
layer unbounded for large ␨. Note that this matching would be impos-
sible if ui共X , ␨兲 was bounded as ␨ → ⬁. The open functional equa-
f ⬘共X,⬁兲 = 1, T共X,⬁兲 = 0 共11兲 tion possesses a partial solution, and differentiating it with respect
The dash denotes differentiation with respect to the normal coor- to y, and using the relation 共18兲, we get
dinate Y and suffix X denotes the differentiation with respect to ⳵u+ ⳵F0 ⳵F1
coordinate X along the surface. The pressure gradient parameter ␤ ␨ = Uc+Y −Y 共19兲
and the boundary layer growth parameter ␹ are ⳵␨ ⳵Y ⳵Y

m as ␨ → ⬁ and Y → 0. For large Reynolds numbers R␾ → ⬁, the

␤= , 共12a兲 function U⬁+ → ⬁ and the matching of the leading order term in
1+m Eq. 共19兲 demands
␦ dUc ⳵F0
m= , 共12b兲 Y = o共⑀兲, Y→0 共20兲
Uc d␦ ⳵Y
where ⑀ = u␶ / Uc. Equation 共20兲 permits the simplest solution
␦X
␹= 共12c兲
␦ ⳵F0
= finite at Y = 0 共21兲
The outer asymptotic expansions are ⳵Y
f = f o共X,Y兲 + ⑀ f 1共X,Y兲 + o共⑀兲 共13兲 along with the wall slip velocity F0共X , 0兲 = bS, where constant bS
depends on pressure gradient. This implies that nonlinear outer
F = Fo共X,Y兲 + ⑀F1共X,Y兲 + o共⑀兲 共14兲 layer solution F0共X , Y兲 admits the similarity analysis, described in
Appendix B, and wall slip velocity US = bSUc is finite. Further-
T = To共X,Y兲 + ⑀T1共X,Y兲 + o共⑀兲 共15兲 more, Eq. 共21兲 permits other solutions also, which have not been
considered here. In view of these arguments, the matching rela-
The outer equation 共10兲 and boundary conditions 共11兲, in view of
tions 共18兲 and 共19兲 become
the asymptotic expansions 共13兲–共15兲, give the first and second
order outer layer equations, u+共X, ␨兲 = US+ − F1共X,Y兲 共22兲
共1 − ␤兲␹−1To⬘ + f o f o⬙ − ␤共1 − f o⬘2兲 + X共1 − ␤兲共f o⬙ f oX − f o⬘ f oX
⬘ 兲=0
⳵u+ ⳵F1
共16兲 ␨ =−Y 共23兲
⳵␨ ⳵Y
共1 − ␤兲␹−1T1⬘ + f o f 1⬙ − 2␤ f o⬘ f 1⬘ + f o⬙ f 1 where US+ = US / u␶ as ␨ → ⬁ and Y → 0 for R␾ → ⬁. The integra-
tion of relation 共23兲 gives the velocity profile log laws, in the
+ X共1 − ␤兲共f o⬙ f 1X − f 1⬘ f oX
⬘ + f 1⬙ f oX − f o⬘ f 1X
⬘ 兲=0 共17兲 overlap region of the inner and outer regions. In law of the rough
subjected to the boundary conditions f 0⬘共X , ⬁兲 − 1 = T0共X , ⬁兲 = 0 wall,
and f 1⬘共X , ⬁兲 = T1共X , ⬁兲 = 0. The lowest order, outer layer equation u 1
共16兲 corresponds to that of a nonlinear wake, which for a constant = ln ␨ + B 共24兲
eddy viscosity closure model of outer layer has been analyzed in u␶ k
Appendix B. These outer layer open equations have been inviscid, In outer local velocity defect law,
which fail to satisfy the no slip boundary condition. Consequently,
an inner wall layer containing the viscous term is needed. US − u 1
= − ln Y + DS 共25兲
u␶ k
2.3 Matching. These relations provide the matching func-
tional equations, as we are dealing with open equations of mean In skin friction log law,

Journal of Fluids Engineering APRIL 2008, Vol. 130 / 041202-3

 US 1
= ln R␾ + B + DS
u␶ k
The lowest order outer layer flow is governed by a nonlinear wake
equation 共16兲, which under the outer boundary condition and
matching condition with inner layer has been in equilibrium as
described Appendix B of present work and Afzal 关27,28兴. Further-
more, under constant eddy viscosity closure model, we get tradi-
tional Falkner–Skan equation 共B1兲 subjected to the certain bound-
ary conditions 共B2a , b , c兲 that provide a finite slip velocity US on
the surface as a function of the pressure gradient. For a shallow
wake US = Uc, implying F0共Y兲 = 1, bS = 1, and DS = D and the com-
posite solution may be expressed as
Here, B and BT are intercepts of log laws in fully smooth wall and
共26兲 transitional rough wall flows. The roughness function ⌬U+ and
roughness scale ␾ from above relations yield
1
⌬U+ = ln h+ + B − BT 共35兲
k
␾ = exp共k⌬U+兲 = h+ exp关k共B − BT兲兴 共36兲
For fully smooth hydraulic wall, h+ is sufficiently small 共say, less
than about 5 for sand roughness兲; the flow is hydraulically
smooth, where B = 5.5. For fully rough hydraulic wall, h+ suffi-
ciently large 共say, more than about 70 for sand roughness兲; the
flow is fully rough where BF = 8.5.

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The law of rough wall 共31兲 and skin friction law 共32兲 may
u 1 ⌸ alternately be expressed in terms of meteorological variables as
= ln ␨ + B + W共Y兲 共27兲
u␶ k k given below:
u 1 Z ⌸
Uc − u 1 ⌸ = ln + W共Y兲 共37兲
= − ln Y + 关W共1兲 − W共Y兲兴 共28兲 u␶ k Z0 k
u␶ k k
Uc 1 Z0
= ln +D 共38兲
Uc 1
= ln R␾ + B + D 共29兲 u␶ k ␦
u␶ k Here, Z0+ is the roughness length, where effective wall may be
Here, D = W共1兲⌸ / k, ⌸ is the wake parameter, and W共Y兲 is the regarded displaced inward from actual wall by an amount Z0. It is
wake function of Coles 关29兴, defined by the relation 共28兲, sub- connected with roughness scale by the relation Z0+ = ␾ exp共−kB兲.
jected to the boundary conditions W共0兲 = 0 and W共1兲 = 1 or 2 as
desired. The skin friction relation 共29兲 may also be expressed as

冑 2 1
= ln Re␾
Cf k
冉 冑冊 Cf
2
+B+D 共30兲
4 Roughness Scale ␾ and Roughness Length Z0+
4.1 Monotonic Roughness. In commercial monotonic rough-
ness, Colebrook 关23兴 fortuitously proposed that roughness scale ␾
The effects of the pressure gradient on the matching conditions in is simply the sum of fully smooth wall ␾ = 1 and fully rough wall
the overlap region lead to universal composite laws, described in ␾ = ␹h+, where ␹ = exp关k共B − BF兲兴. Adopting B = 5 for fully smooth
the Appendix. For weaker pressure gradient, the matching pro- wall and BF = 8.5 for fully rough wall yields ␹ = 0.306. The com-
vides the relations 共A10兲 and 共A11兲, for strong adverse pressure posite function 关23兴 is ␾ = 1 + ␹h+.
gradient the matching yields the half-power laws for velocity pro-
file 共A12兲 and 共A13兲 in universal variables, and in traditional vari- 4.2 Inflectional Roughness. The inflectional roughness of
ables the intercepts in two situations depend on the wall rough- Nikuradse 关25兴 has been analyzed by Loselevich and Pilipenko
ness. 共see Cebeci 关30兴兲 to suggest the following correlation:
1
⌬U+ = 共B − 8.5 + k−1 ln h+兲sin关0.4258共ln h+ − 0.811兲兴 = ln ␾
k
3 Reduction to Traditional Picture With Shallow
共39兲
Outer Wake Layer
for 2.25艋 h+ ⬍ 90 with B = 5.2 and k = 0.42.
The universal velocity profile 共27兲, with the help of expressions In the present work, the roughness scale ␾ for the inflectional
共5兲, is expressed in traditional smooth wall variable Z+ and rough- roughness of Nikuradse 关25兴 from modification of the Colebrook
ness function ⌬U+ as monotonic relation, by introducing an exponential function that
approaches unity for h+ → ⬁, is stated below:
u 1 ⌸
= ln Z+ + B − ⌬U+ + W共Y兲
u␶ k k
Likewise, the skin friction relation 共29兲 yields
共31兲
冉 冊
␾ = 1 + ␹h+ exp −
j
h+
共40兲

Uc 1 ⌸
= ln R␶ + B − ⌬U+ + W共1兲
u␶ k k
共32兲
⌬U+ =
1
k
冋 冉 冊册
ln 1 + ␹h+ exp −
j
h+
共41兲

The roughness length Z0+ is connected with the roughness scale

The velocity profile 共31兲 may also be expressed as by the relation
u 1 ⌸
= ln Z+ + Bt + W共Y兲,
u␶ k k
共33a兲 冋
Z0+ = 1 + ␹h+ exp − 冉 冊册j
h+
exp共− kB兲 共42兲

The log law constants BT and Bt based on the roughness function

⌬U+ = B − Bt 共33b兲 共41兲 become
In terms of rough wall variables, the velocity profile 共33a兲 and
共33b兲 becomes BT = B −
1
k
ln冋1
h+
冉 冊册
+ ␹ exp −
j
h+
共43兲

u 1 Z
u␶ k h
⌸
= ln + BT + W共Y兲,
k
Bt +
1
k
ln h+ = BT 共34兲
Bt = B −
1
k
冋 冉 冊册
ln 1 + ␹h+ exp −
j
h+
共44兲

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 Fig. 1 The velocity distribution on k-type roughness from data of Kameda et al. †32‡ in semilog plots: „a… Inner smooth wall Downloaded from http://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/fluidsengineering/article-pdf/130/4/041202/5638245/041202_1.pdf by Beihang University user on 09 December 2021
variables „u+ , Z+…. „b… Velocity profile shifted by the roughness function u+ + ⌬U+ against smooth wall variable Z+. „c… Our
universal variables for inner transitional rough wall „u+ , ␨…. „d… Alternate universal inner rough wall variables „u+ , Z / Z0…. „e…
Outer velocity defect variables „„Uc − u… / u␶ , Y….

respectively, and are the intercepts of the wall log laws for fully
smooth and fully rough walls. The velocity profile log law 共27兲
and the skin friction log law 共29兲 become
Uc 1
= ln R␶
u␶ k
再 冒冋 冉 冊册冎
1 + ␹h+ exp −
j
h+
+B+
⌸
k
W共1兲

共46兲
u 1
= ln Z+
u␶ k
再 冒冋 冉 冊册冎
1 + ␹h+ exp −
j
h+
⌸
+ B + W共Y兲
k
共45兲 The skin friction log law 共46兲 may also be expressed as

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Fig. 2 The log law velocity distribution on d-type roughness from data of Osaka and Mochizuki †31‡ in semilog plots: „a…
Inner smooth wall variables „u+ , Z+…. „b… Velocity profile shifted by the roughness function u+ + ⌬U+ against smooth wall
variable Z+. „c… Our universal variables for inner transitional rough wall „u+ , ␨…. „d… Alternate universal inner rough wall
variables „u+ , Z / Z0…. „e… Outer velocity defect variables „„Uc − u… / u␶ , Y….

Uc
u␶
1
= − ln
k
1
冋
R␶
h
exp关− k共B + D兲兴 + exp共− k共BF + D兲兴
␦
冑 2
Cf
1
冋
= − ln exp关− k共B + D兲兴
k
再
1
R␶
h
+ ␹ exp −
␦
冉 冊冎册
j ␦
R␶ h

⫻exp −冉 冊册 j
h+
共47兲
共48兲

The skin friction coefficient C f in terms of the friction Reynolds The relation 共48兲 in terms of the Reynolds number Re= Uc␦ / ␯
number R␶ = u␶␦ / ␯ becomes becomes

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Fig. 3 The log law velocity distribution due to rod roughness data of Smalley et al. †34‡ in semilog plots: „a… Inner smooth
wall variables „u+ , Z+…. „b… Velocity profile shifted by the roughness function u+ + ⌬U+ against smooth wall variable Z+. „c… Our
universal variables for inner transitional rough wall „u+ , ␨…. „d… Alternate universal inner rough wall variables „u+ , Z / Z0…. „e…
Outer velocity defect variables „„Uc − u… / u␶ , Y….

冑 2 1
冋
= − ln exp关− k共B + D兲兴
1
再冑 2 required j = 11 and for Colebrook monotonic roughness j = 0.

冊冎册
Cf k Re Cf 4.3 k-Type and d-Type Surface Roughness. The data of
h
+ ␹ exp −
␦
冉 冑
j
Re
2 ␦
Cf h
共49兲
Osaka and Mochizuki 关31兴 for d-type roughness, Kameda et al.
关32兴 for k-type roughness, Antonia and Krogstad 关33兴 for rod
roughness, and Smalley et al. 关34兴 for rod roughness, as shown
For present predictions for inflectional roughness, fit to the data later, are predicted by the following simple relations:

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Fig. 4 The log law velocity distribution on 60- and 220-grid sand grain data of Schultz and Flack †36‡ and epoxy roughness
data of Schultz and Myers †35‡ in semilog plots: „a… Inner smooth wall variables „u+ , Z+…. „b… Velocity profile shifted by the
roughness function u+ + ⌬U+ against smooth wall variable Z+. „c… Our universal variables for inner transitional rough wall
„u+ , ␨…. „d… Alternate universal inner rough wall variables „u+ , Z / Z0…. „e… Outer velocity defect variables „„Uc − u… / u␶ , Y….

1 5 Results and Discussion

␾ = h +, ⌬U+ = ln h+ 共50兲
k The velocity profile 共27兲 and the skin friction 共29兲 are universal
for k-type and d-type roughness. The constants BT and Bt from log laws, valid for any kind of roughness. The inner and outer
relation 共49兲 yield layers in the overlap region give log laws, whose slope k and
additive terms B and D are universal numbers, independent of
1 surface roughness. The inner roughness variable ␨ and roughness
Bt = BT − ln h+, BT = B 共51兲
k friction Reynolds number R␾ implicitly depend on the surface
roughness scale ␾. The types of roughness commonly considered
The skin friction 共29兲 for k-type and d-type roughness becomes may be the sand grain roughness, the commercial technical rough-

冑 2 1
= ln
Cf k
␦
h
冉冊
+B+D 共52兲
ness, the k-type roughness, and the d-type roughness in the engi-
neering applications along with wide variety of the atmospheric

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Fig. 5 The log law velocity distribution on uniform spheres and uniform spheres with grit data of Schultz and Flack †22‡ in
semilog plots: „a… Inner smooth wall variables „u+ , Z+…. „b… Velocity profile shifted by the roughness function u+ + ⌬U+ against
smooth wall variable Z+. „c… Our universal variables for inner transitional rough wall „u+ , ␨…. „d… Alternate universal inner
rough wall variables „u+ , Z / Z0…. „e… Outer velocity defect variables „„Uc − u… / u␶ , Y….

surfaces. The experimental data from various sources 共Osaka and
Mochizuki 关31兴, Kameda et al. 关32兴, Antonia and Krogstad 关33兴,
Smalley et al. 关34兴, Schultz and Myers 关35兴, Schultz and Flack
关22,36兴, and Rahman and Webster 关37兴兲 for zero pressure gradient
have been considered.
The velocity profile from data of Kameda et al. 关32兴 for k-type
roughness are shown in Figs. 1共a兲–1共d兲. In traditional smooth wall
variables 共u+ , Z+兲, the velocity profile data are shown in Fig. 1共a兲,
which in the overlap region may be represented by lines that shift
their locations with change of roughness parameter h+ or ␦ / h. The
velocity distribution shifted by roughness function u+ + ⌬U+ ver-
sus, smooth wall variable Z+ is shown in Fig. 1共b兲 on log-log plot,
which is the Clauser–Hama type similarity and does not depend
on wall roughness. In the transitional rough wall variables 共u+ , ␨兲,
the velocity profile data, shown in Fig. 1共c兲, are universal relation
共24兲, where all data collapse on this single line, irrespective of
roughness scale h+ or ␦ / h. In the outer layer shallow defect vari-
ables 共Ue+ − u+ , Y兲, the velocity profiles also collapse on line 共35兲,
shown in Fig. 1共d兲, and do not depend on wall roughness. Present
work as well as that of Schultz and Flack 关19,22兴 and Connelly et
al. 关5兴 support the Townsend 关38兴 similarity hypothesis in the
outer layer, which states that the turbulence outside of the rough-
ness sublayer, a layer extending out approximately five roughness
heights from the wall, is independent of the surface condition at
sufficiently high Reynolds numbers. The velocity distribution data
of Osaka and Mochizuki 关31兴 for d-type roughness are shown in
Figs. 2共a兲–2共e兲, and the data of Smalley et al. 关34兴 in Figs.
3共a兲–3共e兲. The velocity distribution data of Schultz and Myers

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Fig. 6 The log law velocity distribution on machine honed surface roughness data of Schultz and Flack †19‡ in semilog
plots: „a… Inner smooth wall variables „u+ , Z+…. „b… Velocity profile shifted by the roughness function u+ + ⌬U+ against smooth
wall variable Z+. „c… Our universal variables for inner transitional rough wall „u+ , ␨…. „d… Alternate universal inner rough wall
variables „u+ , Z / Z0…. „e… Outer velocity defect variables „„Uc − u… / u␶ , Y….

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Fig. 7 The log law velocity distribution on river bed roughness from data of Rahman and Webster †37‡ in semilog plots: „a…
Inner smooth wall variables „u+ , Z+…. „b… Velocity profile shifted by the roughness function u+ + ⌬U+ against smooth wall
variable Z+. „c… Our universal variables for inner transitional rough wall „u+ , ␨…. „d… Alternate universal inner rough wall
variables „u+ , Z / Z0…. „e… Outer velocity defect variables „„Uc − u… / u␶ , Y….

关35兴, and Schultz and Flack 关36兴 are shown in Figs. 4共a兲–4共e兲, the
data of Schultz and Flack 关22兴 in Figs. 5共a兲–5共e兲, the machine
honed surface roughness data of Schultz and Flake 关19兴 in Figs.
6共a兲–6共e兲, and data of Rahman and Webster 关37兴 in Figs.
7共a兲–7共e兲. The velocity distribution data in Figs. 2–7 marked a are
in traditional smooth wall variables 共u+ , Z+兲, b are in Clauser–
Hama variables 共u+ + ⌬U+ , Z+兲, c are in transitional rough wall
variables 共u+ , ␨兲, d are in alternate rough wall variables 共u+ , Z / Zo兲,
and e are in traditional outer variables 共Ue+ − u+ , Y兲 and are analo-
gous to Figs. 1共a兲–1共e兲. No additional comment is needed.
The data of the roughness function ⌬U+ with roughness vari-
able h+ are shown in Fig. 8共a兲. The present prediction 共38兲 for
inflectional type roughness and Colebrook 关23兴 monotonic rough-
ness are also shown in the same figure for appreciation of com-
mercial technical roughness effects. The data marked Schultz &
Flack 1, Schultz & Flack 2, and Schultz & Myers 关35兴 compare
well with sand grain roughness prediction 共38兲. The data of Osaka
and Mochizuki 关31兴 for d-type roughness, Kameda et al. 关32兴 for
k-type roughness, and Smalley et al. 关34兴 may be described by the
following simple predictions 共47兲–共49兲. The roughness potential ␾

Journal of Fluids Engineering APRIL 2008, Vol. 130 / 041202-11


Fig. 8 Comparison of the roughness scales data with present
predictions. „a… The roughness function ⌬U+ against wall
roughness parameter h+ for various values of ␦ / h. „b… Rough-
ness scale ␾ against wall roughness parameter h+ for various
values of ␦ / h. „c… Roughness scale Z0 / h against wall rough-
ness parameter h+ for various values of ␦ / h. The lines marked
S is the inflectional roughness „j = 11… and marked C is for Cole-
brook monotonic roughness „j = 0… from predictions Eq. „40… for
roughness scale ␾, Eq. „41… for roughness function ⌬U+, and
Eq. „42… for roughness length Z0+. Line marked KD is the pre-
diction „51… for k-type and d-type roughnesses.
041202-12 / Vol. 130, APRIL 2008
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Fig. 9 The log law intercept BT and Bt for boundary layer data
for various values of h+ and ␦ / h. Prediction lines line marked S
are for sand grain roughness and marked C is for Colebrook
commercial roughness. Line marked KD is the prediction for
k-type and d-type roughnesses.
with roughness variable h+ data is shown in Fig. 8共b兲. The present
prediction 共41兲 for the inflectional roughness 共j = 11兲 and Cole-
brook monotonic roughness 共j = 0兲 are also shown in the same
figure. The data of Schultz and Flack 关22兴 marked as Schultz &
Flack 1 and Schultz and Flack 关36兴 marked as Schultz & Flack 2
and Schultz & Myers 关35兴 compare well with prediction 共48兲 for
inflectional type roughness. The data of Osaka and Mochizuki
关31兴 for k-type roughness, Kameda et al. 关32兴 for d-type rough-
ness, and Smalley et al. 关34兴 may be described by the following
simple predictions ␾ = h+. The surface roughness Zo / h with rough-
ness variable h+ data is shown in Fig. 8共c兲 along with our predic-
tion for inflectional type roughness and Colebrook 关23兴 monotonic
roughness.
The predicted relation 共43兲 for the additive constant BT for in-
flectional roughness, shown in Fig. 9共a兲, compares well with the
data of Antonia and Krogstad 关30兴 for mesh type roughness,
Schultz and Flack 关36兴 for sand paper roughness, Schultz and
Flack 关22兴 for uniform spheres and uniform spheres with grit type
roughness, and Schultz and Myers 关35兴 for epoxy wall roughness.
Furthermore, the additive constant Bt shown in Fig. 9共b兲 also com-
pares well with the prediction 共44兲 for inflectional roughness with
data of Schultz and Flack 关19,22,36兴. The predictions 共43兲 and
共44兲 for BT and Bt compare well with the data of Osaka and
Transactions of the ASME

Fig. 10 Comparison of universal skin friction Cf predictions
and experimental data for turbulent flow boundary layer on
transitional rough walls. „a… Skin friction coefficient Cf against
roughness Reynolds number R␾ = R␶ / ␾ data and universal pre-
diction „53…, 1 / 冑Cf = 1.76 ln R␾ + 5.09. „b… Skin friction coefficient
Cf against roughness Reynolds number Re␾ = Re/ ␾ data and
universal prediction „54…, 1 / 冑Cf = 1.76 ln„Re␾冑Cf… + 4.48.
Mochizuki 关31兴 for d-type roughness, Kameda et al. 关32兴 for
k-type roughness, and Antonia and Krogstad 关33兴, Smalley et al.
关34兴, and Leonardi et al. 关14兴 for rod roughness.
In fact, the friction factor predictions 共39兲 and 共40兲 are univer-
sal relations, explicitly independent of surface roughness. The
skin friction, in alternate variables 共C f , Re␾兲 shown in Fig. 10共a兲,
also collapses on a single universal line predicted by relation 共39兲.
Likewise, the friction factor in alternate transitional roughness
variables 共C f , Re␾兲 from roughness data is shown in Fig. 10共b兲,
which collapses on a single line predicted by relation 共30兲. The
data for various types of roughness, in transitional wall roughness,
provide good support to universal skin friction, and the log laws
共29兲 or 共30兲 become
1 roughness friction Reynolds number, and Re␾ = Re/ ␾, the rough-
共53兲
冑C f = 1.76 ln R␾ + 5.09
1
冑C f 兲 + 4.48
共54兲
冑C f = 1.76 ln共Re␾
The relations 共53兲 and 共54兲 demand 共B + D兲 / 冑2 = 5.09, which im-
ply B = 5 and D = 2.2. The universal skin friction log laws 共53兲 and
共54兲 are expressed in terms of traditional Reynolds numbers as
Journal of Fluids Engineering
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Fig. 11 Comparison of the skin friction Cf versus traditional
Reynolds number Re prediction „55… for ␦ / h = 15, 30, 60, 120,
200, and 400 with experimental data for inflectional wall
roughness
1
冑C f = 1.76 ln冋 1
R␶
h
+ 0.306 exp −
␦
冉 冊册
j ␦
R␶ h
+ 5.09 共55兲
1
冋
冑C f = 1.76 ln
1
Re 冑C f
h
+ 0.216 exp
␦
冉 −
1.414j ␦
Re 冑C f h
冊册 + 4.48
共56兲
For the data of Antonia and Krogstad 关33兴 for mesh roughness,
Schultz and Flack 关19兴 for machine honed surface roughness,
Schultz and Meyers 关35兴 for epoxy roughness, Schultz and Flack
关36兴 for sand paper roughness, Schultz and Flack 关22兴 for uniform
sphere and uniform spheres with grit and Rahman and Webster
关37兴 for river bed roughness, the skin friction is shown in Fig. 11
against Re the Reynolds number. These data are compared with
the predictions 共53兲 and 共54兲 with j = 11 for the inflectional type
roughness of Nikuradse, for various values of roughness param-
eter ␦ / h = 15, 30, 60, 120, 200, and 400. For each value of ␦ / h,
the prediction represents a line that for large R␶ approaches to
fully rough wall limit and for small R␶ it merges with smooth wall
skin friction law. For the data of Osaka and Mochizuki 关31兴 for
k-type roughness, Kameda et al. 关32兴 for d-type roughness, Anto-
nia and Krogstad 关33兴 for rod roughness, Smalley et al. 关34兴 for
rod roughness, and Leonardi et al. 关14兴, the skin friction is shown
in Fig. 12 against Re the Reynolds number. These data are com-
pared with the prediction 共58兲 for k-type and d-type roughness for
various values of roughness parameter ␦ / h = 20, 50, 100, 200, and
400 as well as smooth walls. For each value of the roughness
parameter ␦ / h, the prediction approaches to fully rough wall lim-
iting value for R␶ and smooth wall skin friction law for small R␶.
The prediction shown in Figs. 11 and 12 compares well with data
for various values of the wall roughness parameter ␦ / h.
6 Conclusions
The alternate new nondimensional roughness scale ␾, transi-
tional inner coordinate ␨ = Z+ / ␾, new parameters R␾ = R␶ / ␾, the
ness Reynolds number, have been proposed. Here, ␾
= k−1 ln ⌬U+ is roughness scale connected with traditional rough-
ness function ⌬U+.
The alternative scale is connected with traditional roughness
function, which provides the wall roughness effects in the new
inner wall variable ␨ = Z+ / ␾, which has opened the avenues of
new parameters such as roughness friction Reynolds number and
roughness Reynolds numbers. These new parameters provide uni-
APRIL 2008, Vol. 130 / 041202-13
 in the overlap region 共described in Appendix A兲 lead to the com-
posite laws. For weaker pressure gradient, the matching yields the
relations 共A10兲 and 共A11兲 and for strong adverse pressure gradient
the matching yields the half-power laws for velocity profile 共A12兲
and 共A13兲, whose intercept in inner layer depends on transitional
wall roughness.

Acknowledgment
N.A. is thankful to the All India Council of Technical Educa-
tion, New Delhi for the support of this work.

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Fig. 12 Comparison of the skin friction Cf versus traditional
Reynolds number Re with prediction „52… for ␦ / h = 20, 60, 100,
125, 200, and 400 with experimental data for k-type and d-type
wall roughnesses
Appendix A: Pressure Gradient Effects From Matching
in the Overlap Region for a Transitional Rough Surface
The matching of velocity u and Reynolds shear stress ␶ demand
ui,o = uo,i and ␶i,o = ␶o,i, where suffix 共i , o兲 means the outer limit of
inner solution and suffix 共o , i兲 means the inner limit of outer so-
lution. The matching of the nondimensional mixing length param-
eter

versal velocity profile and universal friction factor relations that

冉冑 冊 冉冑 冊
y ⳵u
␶ ⳵y i,o
=
y ⳵u
␶ ⳵y o,i
共A1兲

are explicitly independent of wall roughness. It also helps to yield is also of significance. The inner limit 共␨ fixed, R␾ → ⬁兲 of outer
the traditional relations and also provides insight into the rough- expansions is the outer limit 共Y fixed, R␾ → ⬁兲 of inner expansion.
ness scale ␾ formulation for inflectionl type roughness as well as The matching condition 共A1兲, expressed in terms of outer and
k-type and d-type roughness. On the other hand, the traditional inner expansions, yield
study of rough wall is based on fully smooth wall inner scale Z+,
where effect of the wall roughness shows a shift of the velocity ␨ ⳵u+ Y ⳵F0 Y ⳵F1
= ⑀−1 共A2兲
profile log law by an amount equal to roughness function over the 冑␶+ ⳵␨ 冑T ⳵Y − 冑T ⳵Y
fully smooth wall layer log law.
In the alternate rough wall variables, the velocity profile u+ as ␨ → ⬁ and Y → 0 for R␾ → ⬁ and the perturbation parameter is
versus inner transitional roughness variable ␨ = Z+ / ␾, the skin fric- ⑀ = u␶ / Uc. The matching of the inner equation 共3兲 for Reynolds
tion C f versus inner transitional roughness Reynolds number shear stress ␶+ at large ␨ with the outer equation 共15兲 for Reynolds
Re␾= Re/ ␾ are universal, explicitly independent of wall rough- shear stress T yields
ness but implicitly involving the roughness scale ␾. The extensive
experimental data for transitional wall roughness provide very ␶ + = 1 + K ␾␨ 共A3a兲
good support to present theory of universal velocity profile in the
inner layer and the skin friction. The outer velocity profiles 共28兲 T = 1 + ␭Y 共A3b兲
are also universal, which supports Townsend’s similarity hypoth- Based on relations 共A2兲 and 共A3a , b兲, the nondimensional match-
esis. ing condition yields
The present deals with transitional inner wall variable ␨
= Z+ / ␾, for a given roughness level ␾, leading to universal laws, ␨ ⳵u+ Y ⳵Fo Y ⳵F1
= ⑀−1 共A4兲
explicity independent of transitional wall roughness. On the other 冑1 + K␾␨ ⳵␨ 冑1 + ␭Y ⳵Y − 冑1 + ␭Y ⳵Y
hand, traditional rough wall theories are based either on fully
smooth inner layer variable Z+ = Zu␶ / ␯ or fully rough wall inner As R␾ → ⬁, ⑀ → 0, the matching of leading order term demands
variable Z / h and the results depend on type of roughness function
⌬U+ or roughness scale ␾. Y ⳵F0
→0 as Y → 0 共A5兲
The roughness scale ␾ prediction of inflectional roughness 冑1 + ␭Y ⳵Y
compares well with the data of Schultz and Flack 关22,36兴. The
data of Osaka and Mochizuki 关31兴 for d-type roughness, Kameda and the next order terms become
et al. 关32兴 for k-type roughness, and Antonia and Krogstad 关33兴
␨ ⳵u+ Y ⳵F1
and Smalley et al. 关34兴 for rod roughness compare well with the =− 共A6兲
k-type and d-type roughness prediction ␾ = h+. The traditional log 冑1 + K ␾ ␨ ⳵␨ 冑1 + ␭Y ⳵Y
laws intercept BT and Bt for the appropriate roughness scale also Integration of each side of Eq. 共A6兲 leads to matching conditions
compare well with the corresponding data. for tangential velocity as

冋 册
There is no universality of scalings in traditional variables and
different expressions are needed for various types of roughness, as 冑1 + K␾␨ + 1
+ 冑1 + K␾␨ − 1 + B
u A
suggested, for example, with inflectional type roughness, mono- = ln ␨ + A − ln
tonic Colebrook–Moody roughness, k-type/d-type roughness, etc. u␶ 2 2
are predicted. In traditional variables, the skin frictions are pre- 共A7兲

冋 册
dicted for inflectional roughness and k-type/d-type roughness. The
experimental data provide good support to the predictions of the 冑1 + ␭Y + 1
+ 冑1 + ␭Y − 1 + DS
US − u A
skin friction in terms of traditional log law for inflectional rough- = − ln Y − A − ln
ness as well as k-type and d-type roughness. u␶ 2 2
The effects of the pressure gradient on the matching conditions 共A8兲

041202-14 / Vol. 130, APRIL 2008 Transactions of the ASME

 US A
= ln R␾ + B + DS
u␶ 2
共A9兲 C p = 共⌳R p兲1/2 冋 冉
A
2
ln
共⌳R p兲3/2
␾
冊
+ A共ln 2 − 1兲 + B 册 共A22兲

Here, b = US / U⬁ = F0共x , 0兲 is the slip velocity at the wall and

A = 2 / k. For a fully smooth wall, the relation 共A7兲 was first pro-
posed by Townsend 关38兴 and Afzal 关27兴.
C p = 共⌳R p兲1/2 冋 A
2
ln共⌳R p兲3/2 + A共ln 2 − 1兲 + B − ⌬U+ 册
For weak pressure gradients K␾ → 0 and ␭ → 0, the relations 共A23兲
共A7兲 and 共A8兲 may be expanded in the powers of ␨ and Y, respec-
tively, where the effect of pressure gradient appears as algebraic The outer layer does not depend on wall roughness and supports
terms as given below: the Townsend 关38兴 hypothesis. The turbulent boundary layer on a
fully smooth surface 共␾ = 1, ⌬U+ = 0兲 with negligible wall shear
u 1 1 stress, in the neighborhood of separation, was considered by
k = ln ␨ + kB + K␾␨ − K␾2 ␨2 + ¯ 共A10兲 Stratford 关39兴 and outer layer self-preserving nonlinear outer flow
u␶ 2 16
by Townsend 关40兴. Furthermore, using dimensional arguments for

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US − u 1 1 large adverse pressure gradient, the half-power law for velocity
k = − ln Y + kDS − ␭Y + ␭2Y 2 + ¯ 共A11兲 distribution was proposed by Stratford 关39兴, and the self-
u␶ 2 16 preserving nonlinear outer flow was patched with by Townsend
For strong adverse pressure gradients K␾ → ⬁ and ␭ → ⬁, the re- 关40兴, which was later matched asymptotically by Afzal 关41兴 in the
lations 共A7兲 and 共A8兲 may be expressed as half-power laws terminology of the method of matched asymptotic expansions.

冋 册
The shallow outer wake layer 共US ⬅ Uc兲 under very strong adverse
= A冑K␾␨ + C +
u A 1 pressure gradient was adopted by Kader and Yaglom 关42兴 to get
− 共K␾␨兲−1/2 + 共K␾␨兲−3/2 + ¯
u␶ 2 12 the half-power law for the outer velocity profile, which is not
共A12兲 valid in the neighborhood of the separation domain 共Afzal
关41,43兴兲. From turbulent boundary layer experimental data, the
US − u
u␶
= − A冑␭Y + E +
A
2
1
冋
共␭Y兲−1/2 − 共␭Y兲−3/2 + ¯
12
册 half-power law constants A versus ⌳, C p versus ⌳R p, and E p
versus ⌳ on a fully smooth surface 共␾ = 1, ⌬U+ = 0兲 are also shown
in Afzal 关43兴, under strong adverse pressure gradient with negli-
共A13兲 gible wall shear stress, in the neighborhood of separation. It is
shown that the data power law slope A versus ⌳ data would not be
A inconsistent with A = 2 / k, where k = 0.4 is the universal value of
C=− ln K␾ + A共ln 2 − 1兲 + B 共A14兲 the Karman constant.
2

A
E= ln ␭ + A共− ln 2 + 1兲 + DS 共A15兲
2 Appendix B: Nonlinear Outer Wake Layer With Eddy
The inner half-power laws 共A12兲 and 共A13兲 may also be ex- Viscosity Model
pressed as The present work dealt with the open equations of turbulent
u
up
= A 冑y p + C p +
A
2
冋 1
− ⌳ R p共y p兲−1/2 + 共⌳R p兲2共y p兲−3/2 + ¯
12
册 motion, up to a point beyond which it is not possible to proceed
any further without a closure hypothesis. Consequently, in outer
layer the Clauser’s constant eddy viscosity model has been
共A16兲 adopted for lowest order outer Eq. 共16兲 subjected to the boundary
conditions f ⬘0共X , ⬁兲 − 1 = T0共X , ⬁兲 = 0 and the matching conditions

C p = 共⌳R p兲1/2 − 冋 A
2
ln K␾ + A共ln 2 − 1兲 + B 册 共A17兲
␶ → ␶w demanding T0共X , 0兲 = 1. The eddy viscosity hypothesis ␶
= ␯␶⳵u / ⳵y in outer layer where ␣c = ␯␶ / Ue␦* being Clauser con-
stant, ␦ = ␣ca1共x − xo兲 and 共1 + m兲a1 = ␦* / ␦ and the outer layer has
US − u
u␦
= − A冑Y + E p +
A
2
1
冋
⌳Y −1/2 − ⌳2Y −3/2 + ¯
12
册 been in equilibrium, f 0共X , Y兲 = f共Y兲 subjected to the power law
velocity Ue ⬀ ␦m at the edge of the boundary layer, give

共A18兲 f ⵮ + f f ⬙ + ␤共1 − f ⬘2兲 = 0 共B1兲

E p = ⌳1/2 −冋 A
ln ⌳ + A共− ln 2 + 1兲 + DS 册 共A19兲
f共0兲 = 0, 共B2a兲

冕
2 ⬁
⑀2
Based on pressure scales, the inner variable is y p = yu p / ␯, inner f ⬙共0兲 共1 − f ⬘兲dY = , 共B2b兲
velocity scale is u p = 共␯ p⬘ / ␳兲1/3, the outer velocity scale is u␦ o
␣c
= 共␦ p⬘ / ␳兲1/2 and the nondimensional parameters are ⌳ = ␶w / 共␦ p⬘兲
and R p = u p␦ / ␯. For a transitional rough surface, near separation, f ⬘共⬁兲 = 1 共B2c兲
the inner half-power law 共A16兲 becomes The Falkner–Skan equation 共B1兲 with the pressure gradient pa-
rameter ␤ = m / 共1 + m兲 is subjected to the boundary conditions of
= A 冑y p + C p
u
共A20兲 prescribed wall shear stress 共B2b兲. The solution to these equations
up
predict the outer slip velocity f ⬘共0兲 = bS as a function of the pa-
The outer half-power law 共A18兲 becomes rameter ⑀2 / ␣c. For ⑀ → 0, the wake- and jetlike solutions are de-
scribed in Afzal 关27,28,41兴. The zero slip velocity 共f ⬘共0兲 = bS = 0兲
= − A冑Y + E p
US − u
共A21兲 with f ⬙共0兲 = 0 implies a point of vanishing skin friction and the
u␦ solution of the Falkner–Skan equations 共B1兲 and 共B2兲 predicts ␤
The additive constant C p in the inner layer half-power law 共A20兲 = −0.198838 and m = −0.0.165858. Furthermore, the outer flow is
depends on wall roughness potential ␾ or the roughness function a shallow wake 共US = Uc兲, and the lowest order outer solution
⌬U+ as becomes f ⬘共Y兲 = 1 and bS = 1.

Journal of Fluids Engineering APRIL 2008, Vol. 130 / 041202-15

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