Approximate Methods for Predicting Separation Properties of Laminar Boundary Layers

Summary Some new solutions for steady incompressible laminar boundary layer flow, obtained by Gortler, have been used to test the accuracy of two methods which are commonly used to predict separation. A modification of Stratford's criterion for separation is given in this paper and is probably the most accurate and the simplest of all methods at present in use. Modified numerical functions are also given for Thwaites's method of predicting the main characteristics of the boundary layer over the whole surface, which improve the accuracy of the method.