Aerodynamic wall shear fluctuation in sand-laden flow in a turbulent boundary layer

To improve our understanding on the aerodynamic wall shear fluctuation in particle-laden flow, we perform statistical and spectral analyses of aerodynamic wall shear fluctuation in sand-free and sand-laden flows in a turbulent boundary layer based on the results of a wind tunnel experiment. An increase in the skewness of the probability density function of aerodynamic wall shear fluctuation is found in the sand-laden flow. The turbulent intensity of aerodynamic wall shear stress increases rapidly with the sand mass flux. The decreased convective velocity indicates blocking effects of sand particles in the near-wall region. The power of aerodynamic wall shear fluctuation in the sand-laden flow increases at low frequencies corresponding to the duration of sand streamers. The results of a superstatistical analysis of skin friction velocity show that spatio-temporal fluctuation in the local energy dissipation rate is enhanced in the sand-laden flow. Finally, the local and spatio-drifting force acting on the stochastic system of wall shear fluctuation in sand-laden flow are different, providing a proof for the significant variation in flow condition caused by sand streamers near the wall.