A SURVEY OF VARIATIONAL METHODS IN FLUID DYNAMICS

The purpose of the report is to present a brief review on the applications of variational techniques to the field of fluid dynamics. Traditionally, the calculus of variations is frequently applied to other fields of dynamics. Due to the Eulerian representation, the application of variational methods to fluid dynamics becomes restrictive. It may be shown that when the Euler System is used in the variational principle (if it exists) for a given fluid flow problem, the analogy to the particle dynamics is lost. The difficulty with the fluid dynamical problems is the lack of a general variational principle for the Navier-Stokes equations, rather than the non-linearity of the equations. Consequently, various approximation techniques are involved which are discussed in the present report. (Author)

• Corporate Authors:

  State University of New York, Buffalo

  Fluid and Thermal Sciences Laboratory
  Buffalo, NY  United States 
• Authors:
  • Lee, C H
  • Cheng, Ralph T
• Publication Date: 1971-1

Media Info

• Pagination: 40 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Flow; Flow fields; Fluid dynamics; Inviscid fluids
• Old TRIS Terms: Inviscid flow
• Subject Areas: Design; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00025594
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: FTSL-TR-71-2
• Contract Numbers: NSF-GK-11687
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 4 1973 12:00AM