Turbulent boundary layers on a systematically varied rough wall

Results of an experimental investigation of the flow over a model roughness are presented. The series of roughness consists of close-packed pyramids in which both the height and the slope were systematically varied. The aim of this work was to document the mean flow and subsequently gain insight into the physical roughness scales which contribute to drag. The mean velocity profiles for all nine rough surfaces collapse with smooth-wall results when presented in velocity-defect form, supporting the use of similarity methods. The results for the six steepest surfaces indicate that the roughness function Delta U(+) scales almost entirely on the roughness height with little dependence on the slope of the pyramids. However, Delta U(+) for the three surfaces with the smallest slope does not scale satisfactorily on the roughness height, indicating that these surfaces might not be thought of as surface roughness in a traditional sense but instead surface waviness. [DOI: 10.1063/1.3059630]