View Video Presentation: https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2022-1534.vid

An implicit large eddy simulation (ILES) was performed for the Sandia Axisymmetric Transonic Hump called the “Sandia Challenge” using a high-order LES solver, hpMusic, at a solution polynomial of p = 2 (3rd order). The Sandia team performed high-quality experiments in an attempt to provide data to validate CFD simulations. The goal of the challenge is to evaluate the strength and weakness of various CFD approaches for highly turbulent transonic flow. Detailed comparisons are made with experimental data including the inflow boundary layer characteristics, skin friction, separation and reattachment points, velocity profiles, Reynolds stresses, and Schlieren et al. Although the present simulation captured the main flow features such as shock waves and flow separation reasonably well, skin friction and the separation point do not agree with the experiment. The state of the incoming boundary layer ahead of the hump was found to differ significantly between the experiment and computation. A future study will remedy this deficiency.