Measurements of surface shear stresses under a three-dimensional turbulent boundary layer using oil-film laser interferometry

Measurements of surface shear stress magnitude and direction are reported for a three-dimensional, pressure driven, turbulent boundary layer around a wing body junction. Measurements were made using a dual-beam oil film laser interferometer at 56 locations.

An iterative procedure was developed which increased the precision of the data extracted from the data records. Skin friction directions computed using a least square error fit were compared to angles obtained from surface oil flows, hot wire anemometry, and LDV measurements. Also, the magnitude of the skin friction coefficients were compared to independently obtained skin friction coefficients. The data agreed to within experimental error outside the effects from the vortex legs present along the side of the wing-body. No accurate data was available for quantitative comparison under the effects of the vortex, but the magnitudes followed the qualitative trends expected. This method failed badly in the region of large three-dimensional effects and requires further study in this area of application.