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Leading-edge vortex monitoring in dynamically stalled flows via persistent homology

Martinez, Q., Jagadeesh, C., Manolesos, M. ORCID: 0000-0002-5506-6061 & Omidyeganeh, M. ORCID: 0000-0002-4140-2810 (2026). Leading-edge vortex monitoring in dynamically stalled flows via persistent homology. Computers & Fluids, 306, article number 106931. doi: 10.1016/j.compfluid.2025.106931

Abstract

A novel vortex core identification pipeline is developed based on template matching. Using persistent homology, a template similarity field is constructed from a sliding window template-target feature space distance. This scalar field is then used to accentuate localised regions of spanwise vorticity via nonlinear weighting. This method is successfully applied to track the leading-edge vortex trajectory in a stall flutter starting cycle for a pitching NACA 63(3)418 aerofoil. Trajectory results are compared with several user-based vortex core identifiers like local vorticity minimum, local Q-criterion maximum, local swirling strength maximum, and manual tracking. The results of this comparison are quite satisfactory as the developed method is capable of automatically monitoring the leading-edge vortex core through several critical stages of its lifecycle. The effects of template size and down sampling are also investigated with respect to the vortex core identification. It is found that a template radius of r=0.04c and down sampling factor M=10 are sufficient for accurate vortex core monitoring in dynamically stalled flows. In general, this method acts primarily as a field-based filter that can be useful for isolating highly vortical regions like the leading-edge vortex core in stall flutter or dynamic stall scenarios.

Publication Type: Article
Additional Information: This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons CC-BY license, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Publisher Keywords: Stall flutter, Dynamic stall, Vortex tracking, Persistent homology, Leading-Edge Vortex, Unsteady aerodynamics
Subjects: T Technology > TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
Departments: School of Science & Technology
School of Science & Technology > Department of Engineering
SWORD Depositor:
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