Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 January 2016
In order to investigate the robustness of three dimensional bumps on shock control for natural laminar-flow wings, the impact of transition onset location on the overall performance of the shock control device was studied. For a ramp bump, a moderate ramp start angle θr =4° was found to effectively fix the location of the leading leg of the shock lambda, decreasing chord-wise movement in the main shock position resulting from variations in transition onset location. With increasing transition onset length from xtrans =0% chord to 45% chord, little influence was found regarding the overall performance of the shock control device but a down-stream movement of the secondary leg of the shock lambda in a range about 3% chord was observed. Change in the boundary-layer displacement thickness due to varying transition onset locations was identified as the primary mechanism responsible for this secondary shock leg movement.