English

A generalisable data-augmented turbulence model with progressive and interpretable corrections for incompressible wall-bounded flows

Fluid Dynamics 2025-07-02 v2

Abstract

The integration of interpretability and generalisability in data-driven turbulence modelling remains a fundamental challenge for computational fluid dynamics applications. This study yields a generalisable advancement of the kk-ω\omega Shear Stress Transport (SST) model through a progressive data-augmented framework, combining Bayesian optimisation with physics-guided corrections to improve the predictions of anisotropy-induced secondary flows and flow separation simultaneously. Two interpretable modifications are systematically embedded: 1) a non-linear Reynolds stress anisotropy correction to enhance secondary flow predictions, and 2) an activation-based separation correction in the ω\omega-equation, regulated by an optimised power-law function to locally adjust turbulent viscosity under adverse pressure gradients. The model is trained using a multi-case computational fluid dynamics-driven a posteriori approach, incorporating periodic hills, duct flow, and channel flow to balance correction efficacy with baseline consistency. Validation across multiple unseen cases -- spanning flat-plate boundary layers, high-Reynolds-number periodic hills, and flow over diverse obstacle configurations -- demonstrates enhanced accuracy in velocity profiles, recirculation zones, streamwise vorticity, and skin friction distributions while retaining the robustness of the original kk-ω\omega SST in attached flows. Sparsity-enforced regression ensures reduced parametric complexity, preserving computational efficiency and physical transparency. Results underscore the framework's ability to generalise across geometries and Reynolds numbers without destabilising corrections, offering a validated framework toward deployable, data-augmented turbulence models for numerical simulations.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2503.18568,
  title  = {A generalisable data-augmented turbulence model with progressive and interpretable corrections for incompressible wall-bounded flows},
  author = {Mario J. Rincón and Martino Reclari and Xiang I. A. Yang and Mahdi Abkar},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2503.18568},
  year   = {2025}
}

Comments

Peer-reviewed version

R2 v1 2026-06-28T22:32:06.973Z