Computational Gasdynamics

Rating:
Summary: The best comprehesive book on the field
Review: Has a good style: * Gives clear decription of physics * Gives a good introduction to basic numerics * Clearly explains various techniques developed over the last few decades, and the incentive behind their development * Up to date, with many modern schemes

Rating:
Summary: The best comprehesive book on the field
Review: Has a good style: * Gives clear decription of physics * Gives a good introduction to basic numerics * Clearly explains various techniques developed over the last few decades, and the incentive behind their development * Up to date, with many modern schemes

Rating:
Summary: the best CFD primer out there
Review: I have to admit that I was at first disappointed to see that the book was loaded with description of schemes in 1-D, with scant space dedicated to multi-dimensional problems. However, I must say that the coverage is easily the most clear and complete of the books on this subject. Other texts may be required to flesh out the schemes and boundary conditions in multi-dimensional space, but a reader will be well served with the good fundamental base that this text provides.

Rating:
Summary: there is no better book for both introduction and in detail
Review: This book is a detailed account of the Eulerian numerical methods used for the solution of hyperbolic pde's such as the standard scalar conservation laws of fluid mechanics and gas dynamics. The book directly investigates gas dynamiocs rather than fluid dynamics although it has application there as well through the very successful Godunov method used for multiphase flow and compressible flow leading to shocks.

There are several parts: Part I: a lead in to gas dynamics, waves and scalar conservation laws as well as the Riemann problem; followed by Part II: Computational review covering the simplest aspects of numerical methods such as numerical discretisation and error, interpolation, piecewise functions; Part III: Gas Dynamics itself involving the CFL concdition, upwinding methods, artificial viscosity, linear and non-linear stability; Part IV: Methods of Gas dynamics, for scalar conservation laws and the Euler equations; Part V: advanced methods leading into flux avergaing, flux limited methods, flux corrected methods, hybrid methods and solution averaging.

The book deals mainly with numerical techniques for one dimension of space and time although there is a small chapter at the end for multidimensions. In this sense it is deficient, but it must be remembered that 1D methods must be mastered before considering the extension to 2 or 3 dimensions. This is a very detailed book leaving nothing out and explaining the techniques in great detail and in simple language without getting lost. Compare this with the far more difficult approach used by Leveque in his book: "Finite Difference Methods for Differential Equations". If you wish to deeply understand the area then this is your text with over 600 pages making up the book its worth every cent although the rather high price of around US$60 is too high for most students. If you can afford it buy it, there is no better book for both an introduction and detail, most of the material is covered elsewhere in class notes and research papers but the fact it is explained in a single book with good continuity is a godsend.