As in the first and second editions, the book revolves around the fact that turbulence modeling is one of three key elements in CFD. Very precise mathematical theories have evolved for the other two, viz., grid generation and algorithm development. By its nature, i.e., creating a mathematical model that approximates the physical behavior of turbulent flows, far less precision has been achieved in turbulence modeling. This text addresses the problem of selecting/devising such models. The fundamental premise is, in the spirit of G. I. Taylor, an ideal model should introduce the minimum amount of complexity while capturing the essence of the relevant physics.
The text begins with the simplest models and charts a course leading to some of the most complex models that have been applied to a nontrivial flow. Along the way, a systematic methodology is presented for developing and analyzing turbulence models. The methodology makes use of tensor calculus, similarity solutions, singular perturbation methods, and numerical procedures. The text stresses the need to achieve a balance amongst the physics of turbulence, mathematical tools required to solve turbulence-model equations, and common numerical problems attending their use (i.e., what good is a model if it makes your program crash?). Several user friendly programs and detailed user's guides are provided on the Compact Disk that accompanies the text.
Many of the applications are used throughout the text to permit comparison of complicated models with simpler models. A completely objective point of view is taken in assessing the merits of models and their range of applicability. The text includes an extensive Bibliography, a detailed Index and well thought out homework problems of varying degrees of difficulty.
David C. Wilcox was born in Wilmington, Delaware. He was educated as an aeronautical engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (BS 1966) and the California Institute of Technology (PhD 1970). After spending the early part of his career with several Southern California aerospace companies, in 1973, he founded DCW Industries, Inc., for which he is currently the President. He has taught several aerospace and mechanical engineering courses at both USC and UCLA.
In the early 1990s, Dr. Wilcox shifted the focus of his corporation from defense contracting to book publishing. Building on an international reputation based on numerous scientific-journal publications, he has written and published two undergraduate fluid-mechanics texts entitled Basic Fluid Mechanics (1997, 2000, 2007) and Elements of Fluid Mechanics (2005). He has also written two graduate-level texts entitled Turbulence Modeling for CFD (1993, 1998, 2006) and Perturbation Methods in the Computer Age (1995). These books are currently in use at universities throughout the world.
Dr. Wilcox has also written three nontechnical books, the most recent of which is a partial autobiography entitled An Improbable Life (2007). The other two books are a fictional novel about a political compaign, . . . And the Donkey They Rode in On (2001), and collection of essays about politics entitled Cliches of Liberalism (1999).
