Development of High-resolution Global Wall Shear Stress Measurement Technique for use in Hypersonic Flow Studies

This initiative will develop a novel approach for making instantaneous global measurements of shear stress at aerodynamic surfaces. This is critical because shear stress is one of two fundamental forces theoretical and experimental aerodynamicists aim to calculate and measure for all aerodynamic surfaces, the second being static pressure. In order to obtain two-dimensional information using traditional methods, one must use a large number of these point-measurement sensors that are individually attached/machined onto the tested surface, a process that can be time consuming and expensive. Ultimately, the number of sensors employed limits the spatial resolution of shear stress data that is obtained from such tests. The approach developed in this project will greatly enhance our ability to measure drag locally, globally and instantaneously, predict its development, study flow physics, and develop accurate CFD predictive methods for wall shear stress, and use it towards flow control.