Modeling of Richtmyer-Meshkov instability-induced turbulent mixing in shock-tube experiments

A turbulence transport model for the analysis of shock interface interactio n-induced turbulent mixing is presented. Results given by the one-dimension al (1-D) version of this model are compared with data obtained in shock-tub e experiments. Calibrations are made from an air/He interface destabilized by a 1.3 incident shock wave Mach number, taking into account the successiv e interactions with the different reshocks on the shock tube end wall. Then , using the same set of model constants, different gas pairs with both vari ous Atwood and incident shock wave Mach numbers are considered, in order to point out the influence of these main parameters on the results. Mixing zo ne thickness time evolutions and 1-D density profiles are presented and dir ectly compared with experimental results. Profiles of other variables such as the space integral of the turbulent kinetic energy integral k dx, transl ation energy integral rho u(x)(2) dx, and the ratio integral rho k dxl inte gral rho u(x)(2) dx, given by the computations, are also shown. Using two d ifferent initializations, in particular, to better describe the first phase s of the phenomenon under study (i.e., taking into account the initial memb rane in a horizontal shock tube configuration), we have found good agreemen t between calculations and experiments. (C) 1999 American Institute of Phys ics. [S1070-6631(99)00401-8].