README

libWallModelledLES is a library based on OpenFOAM® technology, extending the capabilities of OpenFOAM in the area of wall-modelled LES (WMLES). This is a turbulence modelling methodology, which allows to make LES cheaper by not resolving the inner region of turbulent boundary layers.

If you use the library, please cite the following publication. This is also a good source for understanding the theory behind the models.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpc.2019.01.016

This offering is not approved or endorsed by OpenCFD Limited, producer and distributor of the OpenFOAM software via www.openfoam.com, and owner of the OPENFOAM(R) and OpenCFD(R) trademarks.

News

• 2026-05-04 Version 0.8.0 released.
• 2023-04-25 Development moves to Github, Bitbucket remains as a mirror.
• 2023-01-05 Version 0.6.1 released.
• 2021-08-30 Version 0.6.0 released.
• 2019-10-28 Version 0.5.1 released.
• 2019-08-01 Version 0.5.0 released.
• 2019-02-23 Version 0.4.1 released, containing a small bugfix.
• 2018-11-17 Version 0.4.0 released, see CHANGELOG.md for list of changes.

Documentation

https://libwmles.readthedocs.io

Compatibility

See "Installation" section on the documentation portal. In short: the latest ESI versions should work.

Getting help

Please first read the troubleshooting section in the documentation. If that does not help, please open an issue on Github!

Where this code lives

This code is available on several public repositories:

• Github --- the main repository, where all the development happens, and where you should open issues to get help.

• Bitbucket --- mirror, which only gets update upon new releases.

• Gitlab --- mirror, which only gets updated upon new releases.

Published works using the library

If your work is missing from this glorious list and you want it here, open an issue!

Journal papers

1. Mukha, T., Rezeeiravesh, S., & Liefvendahl, M. (2019). A library for wall-modelled large-eddy simulation based on OpenFOAM technology. Computer Physics Communications. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpc.2019.01.016
2. Rezaeiravesh, S., Mukha, T., & Liefvendahl, M. (2019). Systematic study of accuracy of wall-modeled large eddy simulation using uncertainty quantification techniques. Computers & Fluids. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compfluid.2019.03.025
3. Mukha, T. (2019). The effect of numerical dissipation on the predictive accuracy of wall-modelled large-eddy simulation. Trudy ISP RAN / Proceedings of ISP RAS. https://doi.org/10.15514/ISPRAS-2019-31(6)-11
4. Mukha, T., Bensow, R. E., & Liefvendahl, M. (2021). Predictive accuracy of wall-modelled large-eddy simulation on unstructured grids. Computers & Fluids, 221, 104885. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compfluid.2021.104885
5. Ren, X., Su, H., Yu, H.-H., & Yan, Z. (2022). Wall-modeled large eddy simulation and detached eddy simulation of wall-mounted separated flow via OpenFOAM. Aerospace, 9(12), 759. https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace9120759
6. He, K., Zhou, F., Zhao, W., et al. (2023). Numerical analysis of turbulent fluctuations around an axisymmetric body of revolution based on wall-modeled large eddy simulations. Journal of Hydrodynamics, 35, 1041–1051. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42241-024-0077-8
7. Chen, S., Yang, L., Zhao, W., et al. (2023). Wall-modeled large eddy simulation for the flows around an axisymmetric body of revolution. Journal of Hydrodynamics, 35, 199–209. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42241-023-0026-y
8. Taghvaei, M., & Amani, E. (2023). Wall-modeled large-eddy simulation of turbulent non-Newtonian power-law fluid flows. Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, 322, 105136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnnfm.2023.105136
9. Jiang, P., Liao, S., & Xie, B. (2024). Large-eddy simulation of flow noise from turbulent flows past an axisymmetric hull using high-order schemes. Ocean Engineering, 312(Part 2), 119150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2024.119150
10. Fazeli, M., Emdad, H., Alishahi, M. M., & Rezaeiravesh, S. (2024). Wall-modeled large eddy simulation of 90° bent pipe flows with/without particles: A comparative study. International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatfluidflow.2023.109268
11. Nuca, R., Mukha, T., & Parsani, M. (2025). Explicit formulations of widely used wall models for large-eddy simulation. Physics of Fluids, 37, 035215. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0253882
12. Mayoral, S., & Massis, A. (2025). A numerical investigation of the longitudinal vortex pair structure in underbody diffuser flows. Journal of Fluids Engineering, 147(7), 071105. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4068036
13. Cato, A. S., Kozul, M., & Sandberg, R. (2026). Development of explicit algebraic LES wall models using consistent CFD-driven machine learning. International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow, 117(Part B), 110157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatfluidflow.2025.110157
14. Hansen, C., Yang, X. I. A., & Abkar, M. (2026). Wall-modeled large eddy simulation of turbulent smooth body separation using the OpenFOAM flow solver. Journal of Fluids Engineering, 148(1), 011502. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4069033
15. He, K., Zhou, F., Zhang, J., & Wan, D. (2025). Wall-Modeled Large Eddy Simulation of Turbulent Boundary Layer Flows over an Axisymmetric Body of Revolution. International Journal of Offshore and Polar Engineering, 35(04), 407–414. https://onepetro.org/IJOPE/article-abstract/35/04/407/794625

Conference proceedings

1. Mukha, T., Rezaeiravesh, S., & Liefvendahl, M. (2017). An OpenFOAM library for wall-modelled Large-Eddy Simulation. In Proceedings of the 12th OpenFOAM Workshop, Exeter, UK.
2. Mukha, T., Johansson, M., & Liefvendahl, M. (2018). Effect of wall-stress model and mesh-cell topology on the predictive accuracy of LES of turbulent boundary layer flows. In 7th European Conference on Computational Fluid Dynamics, Glasgow, UK.
3. Mukha, T., Rezaeiravesh, S., & Liefvendahl, M. (2018). Wall-modelled large-eddy simulation of the flow over a backward-facing step. In Proceedings of the 13th OpenFOAM Workshop, Shanghai, China.
4. Liefvendahl, M., & Johansson, M. (2018). Wall-modeled LES for ship hydrodynamics in model scale. In Proceedings of the 32nd Symposium on Naval Hydrodynamics, Hamburg, Germany.
5. Malkus, T., & Belloni, C. (2020). Wall-modeled large-eddy simulations of airfoil trailing edge noise. In Proceedings of the 8th ESI OpenFOAM Conference. https://www.esi-group.com/sites/default/files/resource/other/1682/8th_OpenFOAM_Conference_Ohio_State_University_Malkus.pdf
6. Mayoral, S., & Massis, A. (2023). Wall-modeled large eddy simulation of flow past an Ahmed body with a 25° slant angle. In Proceedings of the ASME 2023 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Volume 9: Fluids Engineering. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/IMECE2023-113847
7. He, K., Zhou, F., Zhao, W., & Wan, D. (2024). Wall-modeled large eddy simulation for a highly decelerated axisymmetric turbulent boundary layer. In ISOPE International Ocean and Polar Engineering Conference. ISOPE-I-24-273. https://onepetro.org/ISOPEIOPEC/proceedings-abstract/ISOPE24/ISOPE24/ISOPE-I-24-273/546645

Theses

1. Bezinge, G. (2018). Wall-unresolved large eddy simulation of turbulent flow at high Reynolds number: Performance and computational cost investigation [Master’s thesis]. Department of Mathematics, University of Wyoming / Laramie Institute of Fluid Dynamics, ETH Zurich.
2. Mukha, T. (2018). Modelling techniques for large-eddy simulation of wall-bounded turbulent flows [Doctoral thesis, Uppsala University]. Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis.
3. Rezaeiravesh, S. (2018). Effect of grid resolution on large eddy simulation of wall-bounded turbulence [Doctoral thesis, Uppsala University]. Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis.
4. Fernandez, I. J. (2023). Explicit wall model for LES of turbulent flows over a smooth separated body [Master’s thesis, California State University, Fullerton]. ScholarWorks.
5. Charisoudis, N. (2023). Wall-resolved and wall-modelled LES for a NACA4412 wing profile in OpenFOAM [Master’s thesis, KTH Royal Institute of Technology]. DiVA.
6. Sikirica, A. (2025). Adaptive mesh refinement for computationally efficient large eddy simulations [Doctoral thesis, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Engineering]. Repository of the Faculty of Engineering, University of Rijeka. https://repository.riteh.uniri.hr/en/object/riteh:5124