A three‐dimensional direct numerical simulation of the wake of a flat plate held normal to a free stream has been conducted for a Reynolds number of 1000, using a high‐order finite‐difference scheme. The calculated flow structures and the coefficient of drag are shown to be markedly different from those obtained from an equally resolved two‐dimensional simulation. The three‐dimensional simulation is able to account for the intrinsic three‐dimensionality that develops beyond a certain critical Reynolds number (∼200). The time‐averaged drag predicted by the three‐dimensional simulation is in good agreement with the experimental data, and also captures a low‐frequency time variation that is seen in the experiments.
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1995
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