A generalisable data-augmented turbulence model with progressive and interpretable corrections for incompressible wall-bounded flows

Abstract

The integration of interpretability and generalisability in data-driven turbulence modelling remains a fundamental challenge for computational fluid dynamics applications. This study yields a generalisable advancement of the $k$-$\omega$ Shear Stress Transport (SST) model through a progressive data-augmented framework, combining Bayesian optimisation with physics-guided corrections to improve the predictions of anisotropy-induced secondary flows and flow separation simultaneously. Two interpretable modifications are systematically embedded: (1) a non-linear Reynolds stress anisotropy correction to enhance secondary flow predictions, and (2) an activation-based separation correction in the $\omega$-equation, regulated by an optimised power-law function to locally adjust turbulent viscosity under adverse pressure gradients. The model is trained using a multi-case computational fluid dynamics-driven a posteriori approach, incorporating periodic hills, duct flow, and channel flow to balance correction efficacy with baseline consistency. Validation across multiple unseen cases – spanning flat-plate boundary layers, high-Reynolds-number periodic hills, and flow over diverse obstacle configurations – demonstrates enhanced accuracy in velocity profiles, recirculation zones, streamwise vorticity, and skin friction distributions while retaining the robustness of the original $k$-$\omega$ SST in attached flows. Sparsity-enforced regression ensures reduced parametric complexity, preserving computational efficiency and physical transparency. Results underscore the framework’s ability to generalise across geometries and Reynolds numbers without destabilising corrections, offering a validated framework toward deployable, data-augmented turbulence models for numerical simulations.