Experimental Study of Base Pressure of Two-Dimensional and Axisymmetric Bodies and Evalution of the Theoretical Methods

Several experiments involving two-dimensional and axisymmetric bodies have been carried out in a Trisonic wind tunnel at supersonic speeds to investigate and analyse the measured values of base pressure and to compare them with those from the theoretical methods. The objective of the experiments was to obtain an appropriate method for processing the results of wind tunnel tests on rockets or aircraft having base area, hence, base drag. Among numerous semi-empirical methods available for two-dimensional and axisymmetric geometry, the methods presented by Chapman, Korst and Tanner have been utilized to calculate values of base pressure for comparison with the experimental findings for the same model. The results indicate that the pressure increase for the 2-D model with a steplike base is greater that of the axisymmetric model with the same conditions. The experimental results for all cases considered in this investigation compare well with those from existing the theoretical method developed by Tanner