Shock Wave–Boundary-Layer Interactions: Why They Are Important

The repercussions of a shock wave–boundary layer interaction (SBLI) occurring within a flow are numerous and frequently can be a critical factor in determining the performance of a vehicle or a propulsion system. SBLIs occur on external or internal surfaces, and their structure is inevitably complex. On the one hand, the boundary layer is subjected to an intense adverse pressure gradient that is imposed by the shock. On the other hand, the shock must propagate through a multilayered viscous and inviscid flow structure. If the flow is not laminar, the production of turbulence is enhanced, which amplifies the viscous dissipation and leads to a substantial rise in the drag of wings or – if it occurs in an engine – a drop in efficiency due to degrading the performance of the blades and increasing the internal flow losses. The adverse pressure gradient distorts the boundary-layer velocity profile, causing it to become less full (i.e., the shape parameter increases). This produces an increase in the displacement effect that influences the neighbouring inviscid flow. The interaction, experienced through a viscous-inviscid coupling, can greatly affect the flow past a transonic airfoil or inside an air-intake. These consequences are exacerbated when the shock is strong enough to separate the boundary layer, which can lead to dramatic changes in the entire flowfield structure with the formation of intense vortices or complex shock patterns that replace a relatively simple, predominantly inviscid, unseparated flow structure. In addition, shock-induced separation may trigger large-scale unsteadiness, leading to buffeting on wings, buzz for air-intakes, or unsteady side loads in nozzles. All of these conditions are likely to limit a vehicle's performance and, if they are strong enough, can cause structural damage.