Effect of Mach number and Reynolds number on a normal shock-wave/turbulent boundary-layer interaction

Experimental values of wall pressure and skin friction have been obtained for Mach numbers from 1.32 to 1.48 and for Reynolds numbers from 8.5 x 10 to the 6th to 225 x 10 to the 6th. Increasing the Mach number reduces the wall shear and promotes incipient separation. Reynolds number variations have little effect except at the lowest value where the flow abruptly approaches separation. Comparisons are made with solutions to the time-dependent, Reynolds-averaged, Navier-Stokes equations incorporating a two-equation, Wilcox-Rubesin turbulence model. The computations are in agreement with the experimental results. Additional numerical results indicated that the wind-tunnel walls constrained the flow and suppressed the formation of a separation bubble at the shock wave.