Experimental validation as an integral component of computational fluid dynamics research

Abstract

As experimental fluid dynamics becomes increasingly expensive and time consuming, researchers become more reliant on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solutions. However for many applications, the use of CFD alone is not enough to provide confidence. Using the example of compressible flow ground effect aerodynamics, the use of an integrated computational/experimental fluid dynamics research program is described. Relatively cheap and simple experiments are designed using CFD to provide suitable and thorough validation data for more complex CFD flows. Extra advantages of the implementation of both techniques by the same team of researchers is that errors are minimised, and issues of miscommunication between two disparate groups of numerical and experimental researchers disappear.