A numerical study of wave structures developed on the free surface of a film flowing on inclined planes and subjected to surface shear

In this work, we determine the different patterns of possible wave structures that can be observed on a thin film flowing on an inclined plane when at the free surface a shear force (surface traction) is applied. Different wave structures are obtained dependening on the selected combination of downstream and upstream boundary conditions and initial conditions. The resulting initial boundary value problems are solved numerically using the direct BEM numerical solution of the complete two‐dimensional Stokes system of equations. In our numerical results, the initial discontinuous shock profiles joining uniform fluid depths are smoothed due to the two‐dimensional character of the Stokes formulation, including the effect of the gravitational force as well as the interfacial surface tension force. In this way, physically feasible continuous surface profiles are determined, in which the initial uniform depths are joined by smooth moving wave structures. Numerical solutions have been attained to reproduce the different patterns of possible wave structures previously reported in the literature and extended to identify some other new structures and features defining the behaviour of the surface patterns. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.