Buffeting for 2D and 3D sharp-edged bluff bodies

Aerodynamic buffeting is experimentally investigated for moderate Reynolds number, turbulent flows around two- and three-dimensional bluff bodies in tandem. Combining flow visualizations, surface pressure and velocity measurements, changes in aerodynamic loading and macroscale flow features are related. For large obstacle separations, it is found that when surface-mounted prisms are placed in thin boundary layers, loading and wake dynamics are similar to those found for cylinders suspended in free streams. However, important differences are identified for smaller gaps, which can be generally attributed to greater streamline curvature for three-dimensional configurations.