Particle image velocimetry for predictions of acceleration fields and force within fluid flows

We describe an experimental investigation of various methods of using the non-intrusive particle image velocimetry (PIV) technology to obtain the acceleration field of fluid flows and particularly the force being exchanged between a fluid flow and its boundaries. Methods based on the Lagrangian and the Eulerian specifications respectively have been developed, applied to experiments and compared. The experiments were performed by using a four-CCD-camera system designed to acquire between two and four frames in a fast time sequence, to provide single- or multiple-exposure PIV images of general fluid flows. The experiments involved various types of surface waves impinging upon a vertical wall at the end of a flume. Simultaneous monitoring with various transducers provided the experimental evaluation of the force predictions, whereas numerical simulations and PIV measurements have been used to validate the techniques for determining accelerations.