Thwaites' Integral method for Laminar Incompressible Boundary Layers

This is an empirical method based on the observation that most laminar boundary
layers obey the following relationship (Ref: Thawites, B., Incompressible Aerodynamics,
Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1960).:

ue d 2 θ 2 due
ν dx
(θ )= A − B
ν dx
(1)
Thwaites recommends A = 0.45 and B = 6 as the best empirical fit.

The above equation may be analytically integrated yielding

0.45ν
x
 2 u e6 ( x = 0)  0.45ν x
θ2 = ∫ e  + θ = = ∫u
5 5
u dx ( x 0 ) e dx
u e6 x =0 u e6 ( x )  u e6 x =0
(2)
For blunt bodies such as airfoils, the edge velocity u is zero at x=0, the stagnation
e
point. For sharp nosed geometries such as a flat plate, the momentum thickness θ is zero at
the leading edge. Thus, the term in the square bracket always vanishes.

The integral may be evaluated, at least numerically when u is known.

e

After θ is found, the following relations are used to compute the shape factor H and
the shear stress at the wall τ .
w
For 0 ≤ λ ≤ 0.1
H = 2. 61− 3. 75λ + 5.24λ 2

For − 0.1 ≤ λ ≤ 0
0.0147
H = 2. 472 +
0.107+ λ
where,
θ 2 due
λ=
ν dx
(3)
and,

µue
τw = (λ + 0. 09)
0. 62

θ
Despite the empiricism involved in the above formulas, Thwaites' integral method is
considered to be the best of a variety of integral boundary layer methods.