The dynamics of controlled transitory 2- and 3-D attachment of the separated flow over a 2-D airfoil model are investigated in wind tunnel experiments. Pulsed actuation is effected on time scales that are an order of magnitude shorter than the characteristic convective time scale of the base flow by momentary jets that are generated by a spanwise array of combustion-based actuators. The effects of the transitory actuation on the aerodynamic characteristics of the airfoil are assessed using measurements of the global lift force and pitching moment and of streamwise distributions of surface pressure, and planar and stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (PIV) acquired phase-locked to the actuation waveform. A single spanwise-bounded actuation pulse leads to 2-D severing of the separated vorticity layer and the subsequent shedding of a large-scale stall vortex that are followed by momentary attachment of the upstream boundary layer and ultimately re-separation that are accompanied by a strong transitory change in the airfoil's circulation. It is shown that the primary mechanism for the attachment is alteration of the adverse pressure gradient of the separated base flow by local blockage of the momentary jet and.the formation of the large-scale stall vortex. The disparity between the characteristic time scales of flow attachment and subsequent separation [O(Tconv) and O(10Tconv), respectively] is exploited for temporal and spatial extensions of the attachment and enhancement of the global aerodynamic performance using strings of successive actuation pulses. Pulsed actuation effected by an unbounded actuator array leads to spanwise spreading of the induced transitory 3-D flow attachment well beyond the spanwise edges of the actuators. It is shown that 3-D pulsed actuation enhances the accumulation of vorticity over the airfoil and improves its aerodynamic performance compared to 2-D, spanwise-bounded actuation. When the airfoil is undergoing time-periodic pitch oscillations beyond its static stall margin, a sequence of staged 3-D actuation pulses coupled to the airfoil's motion can lead to reduced lift hysteresis and increased pitch stability (lower “negative damping”) that are typically associated with the presence of dynamic stall.

The short range dispersion in the atmosphere of buoyant gases, such as hot air or natural gas, may be hazardous and dangerous. The available methods for studying this problem were reviewed. Wind tunnel studies were considered to be the most suitable method for studying near-field dispersion, and methods for accurately modelling the nearfield behaviour of a buoyant plume of gas were examined. The experiments were performed in the Oxford University 4m x 2m low speed wind tunnel at a model scale of 1:200. The mean trajectory and rate of spread of a buoyant plume from a 60 m high (full-scale) stack were measured in the presence of a simulated natural wind. The exact similarity requirements were derived from dimensional analysis and from the equations of motion. In practice, it is not possible to match all the necessary dimensionless groups and exact scaling of the exit gas density ratio and the exit Reynolds number is often relaxed. A series of experiments was performed to examine the effect of these two groups on mean plume behaviour, with the intention of providing guidance for correct simulation of plume dispersion at reduced-scale. The exit density ratio was found to have little effect on the near-field plume behaviour, provided all the other dimensionless groups were matched. Plumes with low Reynolds number were found to rise significantly higher than plumes with higher 'turbulent' Reynolds numbers. This difference in trajectory could not be correlated with the plume exit momentum flux. The effect of the cross-flow on near-field dispersion was examined by performing experiments in four different simulations of the earth's atmospheric boundary-layer. The behaviour of the plume was found to be sensitive to both the velocity profile and the turbulence intensity of the cross-flow. To study dispersion in the wind tunnel, the cross-flow should be an accurate simulation of the velocity profile and turbulence intensity components of the natural wind.

This dissertation presents a methodology to simulate the dispersion of water droplets in the air flow typical of an Icing Tunnel. It is based on the understanding the physical parameters that influence the uniformity and the distribution of cloud of droplets in the airflow and to connect them with analytical parameters which may be used to describe the dispersion process. Specifically it investigates the main geometrical and physical parameters contributing to the droplets dispersion at different tunnel operative conditions, finding a consistent numerical approach to reproduce the local droplets dynamic, quantifying the possible limits of commercial CFD methods, pulling out the empirical parameters/constant needing to simulate properly the local conditions and validating the results with calibrated experiment. An overview of the turbulence and multiphase flow theories, considered relevant to the Icing Tunnel environment, is presented as well as basic concepts and terminology of particle dispersion. Taylor’s theory of particle dispersion has been taken as starting point to explain further historical development of discrete phase dispersion. Common methods incorporated in commercial CFD software are explained and relative shortcomings underlined. The local aerodynamic condition within tunnel, which are required to perform the calculation with the Lagrangian particle equation of motions, are generated numerically using different turbulent models and are compared to the historical K-ε model. Verification of the calculation is performed with grid independency studies. Stochastic Separated Flow methods are applied to compute the particle trajectories. The Discrete Random Walk, as described in the literature, has been used to perform particle dispersion analysis. Numerical settings in the code are related to the characteristics of the local turbulent condition such as turbulence intensity and length scales. Cont/d.

The goal of this study is to assess the potential of using bench-scale fire testing to screen materials for the Steiner tunnel fire test. It is hypothesized that the chemical and physical changes made to a material to improve its fire performance in small scale fire tests will have a predictable response in the Steiner tunnel. This hypothesis is based on the observation that fire test results can, in some cases, provide insight on a material's relative fire hazard, and the assumption that the relative hazard should be consistent across scale. The ASTM E84 Steiner tunnel test provides a relative ranking of material hazard in two categories. The horizontal Flame Spread Index (FSI) is used to rank the flame hazard of a material, and the Smoke Developed Index (SDI) is used to rank the smoke hazard of a material. Two fire tests are proposed to independently assess each hazard at the bench-scale. The ASTM E1354 cone calorimeter test measures a material's open-flaming heat release rate; it is proposed that the cone calorimeter test can be used to assess a material's relative flame hazard. The ISO 5659-2 smoke density chamber test measures a material's closed-environment smoke development; it is proposed that the smoke density chamber test can be used to assess a material's relative smoke hazard. The material selected for this study is fire-retarded sprayed polyurethane foam (FRSPF) insulation. Specific details of the foam chemistry, fire retardants, and the manufacturer are confidential. Generally, the foam can be described as medium-density (approximately 2 lbs/ft³), closed-celled, and semi-rigid. The fire retardant additives are comprised of differing ratios and concentrations of phosphorous- and halogen-containing compounds. A series of 30 Steiner tunnel tests is conducted on 20 different formulations. Repeated testing is conducted on several formulations in order to assess variability in the Steiner tunnel test results. Cone calorimeter and smoke density chamber tests are conducted on a subset of those formulations, in sets of 3-5 tests per formulation. Key performance indicators are identified from each fire test, relationships between those indicators are examined, and correlations are presented where strong relationships are apparent. Empirical prediction models are proposed for FSI and SDI based on the success rate of prediction, and minimization of error between experimental (measured) and modelled (predicted) results. It is concluded that for the materials tested in this study, there is sufficient evidence of consistency in relative performance to recommend bench-scale screening tests as a cost-effective alternative to repeated Steiner tunnel testing.

Excavation activities like open cutting and tunneling work may cause ground movements. Many of these activities are performed in urban areas where many structures and facilities already exist. These activities are close enough to affect adjacent structures. It is therefore important to understand how the ground movements due to excavations influence nearby structures. The goal of the proposed research is to investigate and develop analytical methods for addressing uncertainty during observation-based, adaptive design of deep excavation and tunneling projects. Computational procedures based on a Bayesian probabilistic framework are developed for comparative analysis between observed and predicted soil and structure response during construction phases. This analysis couples the adaptive design capabilities of the observational method with updated reliability indices, to be used in risk-based design decisions. A probabilistic framework is developed to predict three-dimensional deformation profiles due to supported excavations using a semi-empirical approach. The key advantage of this approach for practicing engineers is that an already common semi-empirical chart can be used together with a few additional simple calculations to better evaluate three-dimensional displacement profiles. A reliability analysis framework is also developed to assess the fragility of excavation-induced infrastructure system damage for multiple serviceability limit states. Finally, a reliability analysis of a shallow circular tunnel driven by a pressurized shield in a frictional and cohesive soil is developed to consider the inherent uncertainty in the input parameters and the proposed model. The ultimate limit state for the face stability is considered in the analysis. The probability of failure that exceeding a specified applied pressure at the tunnel face is estimated. Sensitivity and importance measures are computed to identify the key parameters and random variables in the model.

The aerodynamics of bodies in compressible ground effect flowfields from low-subsonic to supersonic Mach numbers have been investigated numerically and experimentally. A study of existing literature indicated that compressible ground effect has been addressed sporadically in various contexts, without being researched in any comprehensive detail. One of the reasons for this is the difficulty involved in performing experiments which accurately simulate the flows in question with regards to ground boundary conditions. To maximise the relevance of the research to appropriate real-world scenarios, multiple bodies were examined within the confines of their own specific flow regimes. These were: an inverted T026 wing in the low-to-medium subsonic regime, a lifting RAE 2822 aerofoil and ONERA M6 wing in the transonic regime, and a NATO military projectile at supersonic Mach numbers. Two primary aims were pursued. Firstly, experimental issues surrounding compressible ground effect flows were addressed. Potential problems were found in the practice of matching incompressible Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations to wind tunnel experiments for the inverted wing at low freestream Mach numbers (<0.3), where the inverted wing was found to experience significant compressible effects even at Mach 0.15. The approach of matching full-scale CFD simulations to scale model testing at an identical Reynolds number but higher Mach number was analysed and found to be prone to significant error. An exploration was also conducted of appropriate ways to conduct experimental tests at transonic and supersonic Mach numbers, resulting in the recommendation of a symmetry (image) method as an effective means of approximating a moving ground boundary in a small-scale blowdown wind tunnel. Issues of scale with regards to Reynolds number persisted in the transonic regime, but with careful use of CFD as a complement to experiments, discrepancies were quantified with confidence. The second primary aim was to use CFD to gain a broader understanding of the ways in which density changes in the flowfield affect the aerodynamic performance of the bodies in question, in particular when a shock wave reflects from the ground plane to interact again with the body or its wake. The numerical approach was extensively verified and validated against existing and new experimental data. The lifting aerofoil and wing were investigated over a range of mid-to-high subsonic Mach numbers (1>M???>0.5), ground clearances and angles of incidence. The presence of the ground was found to affect the critical Mach number, and the aerodynamic characteristics of the bodies across all Mach numbers and clearances proved to be highly sensitive to ground proximity, with a step change in any variable often causing a considerable change to the lift, moment and drag coefficients. At the lowest ground clearances in both two and three dimensional studies, the aerodynamic efficiency was generally found to be less than that of unbounded (no ground) flight for shock-dominated flowfields at freestream Mach numbers greater than 0.7. In the fully-supersonic regime, where shocks tend to be steady and oblique, a supersonic spinning NATO projectile travelling at Mach 2.4 was simulated at several ground clearances. The shocks produced by the body reflected from the ground plane and interacted with the far wake, the near wake, and/or the body itself depending on the ground clearance. The influence of these wave reflections on the three-dimensional flowfield, and their resultant effects on the aerodynamic coefficients, was determined. The normal and drag forces acting on the projectile increased in exponential fashion once the reflections impinged on the projectile body again one or more times (at a height/diameter ground clearance h/d<1). The pitching moment of the projectile changed sign as ground clearance was reduced, adding to the complexity of the trajectory which would ensue.

Thèse (M.A.)--Université Laval, 2007. / Texte français ou anglais ; résumés en français ou en anglais. Bibliogr.: f. [45]-46. Publié aussi en version électronique dans la Collection Mémoires et thèses électroniques.

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Auburn University, 2008. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographic references.

Univ., Diss., 2005--Kassel.

Th. 3e cycle--Électronique--Toulouse--I.N.P., 1985. N°: 235.