Reattaching turbulent shear layers with perturbed structure

The reattachment of a fully turbulent, two-dimensional shear layer downstream of a backward-facing step has been studied experimentally. The work examines the effect of modifications in shear layer structure upstream of reattachment. A series of experiments were conducted in a low-speed wind tunnel using specialized instrumentation suited to the highly turbulent, reversing flow near reattachment. Accurate characterization of the time-mean features of the reattaching flows was possible. Assuming linear scaling normalized on distance from reattachment, distributions of the normalized pressure coefficients, the time-averaged skin friction coefficient, and the forward flow fraction appear universal for two-dimensional reattachment, independent of initial conditions and steep height, for given duct geometry (area ratio) and for high step height Reynolds numbers. The results suggest universal flow structure in the reattachment zone.