APPLICATION OF A REYNOLDS STRESS MODEL TO TURBULENCE NEAR A FREE SURFACE

Abstract

A numerical analysis has been made to investigate the applicability of the Launder-Reece-Rodi Reynolds stress model to turbulence near a free surface. The model has been applied to oscillating-grid turbulence in a homogeneous fluid with a finite depth. Anisotropic distortion of the near-surface turbulence has been numerically simulated. The model predicts a strong influence of free surface on turbulent structure within the range of the order of integral lengthscale. The numerical solutions normalized by using the exact solution for the infinite depth have been compared with experimental data. A good agreement is seen between the both. This agreement shows that the Reynolds stress model is useful for the turbulence near a free surface.