Absrtact An initially shock wave can undergo significant distortion to its shape along with changes in its strength during the period of its interaction with a compressible vortex. This phenomenon is studied by numerical simulation of the shock wave-vortex interaction with a high resolution shock-capturing TVD scheme. A shock reflection over a flat plate is selected for this numerical investigation. Invicsid flow assumption is governed by Euler equations are used here. A brief history from previous works in shock-vortex interaction was reviewed. Then grid generation, governing equations and numerical algorithm are presented. Incident shock waves of various Mach numbers are made to interact with a compressible vortex. The dependence of the shock wave distortion on the strength of the incident shock wave is studied in detail. It is known that the type of complex shock structure formed in the later stages of a compressible vortex-shock wave interaction is dependent on the Mach number of the incident shock wave. To search different interaction patterns, we have tested two vortex models (the Taylor vortex model and the Lamb vortex model) and as many as 26 test cases. It is shown that the Lamb vortex is more in agreement with experimental data. The effect of different flux limiter were also investigated which show Van-Leer limiter is the most suitable in this study. The important parameters are the intensity of vortex, free-stream Mach number (angle of the wedge forming the first shock wave) and vortex-core radius. By shock–vortex interaction, the impinging shock is deformed to an S-shape with leading and lagging parts of the shock. The vortex flow is locally accelerated by the leading shock and locally decelerated by the lagging shock, causing a severely elongated vortex core with two vertices. When the leading shock escapes the vortex, implosion effect creates a high pressure in the vertex area where the flow had been most expanded. They are subsonic waves when the shock–vortex interaction is weak but become supersonic waves for strong interactions. Under an intermediate interaction, however, an induced shock wave is first developed where flow speed is supersonic but is dissipated where the incoming flow is subsonic. We have identified two different interaction patterns, say weak and strong, that depend on the vortex flow regime characterized by the shock–vortex interaction.Specifically, we have determined the dependence of shock distortion and vortex compression, and its subsequent notation upon shock and vortex strengths. It is shown numerically that vortex breakdown is possible in the case of strong interaction . The effect of vortex breakdown is characterized by some effects on flow. Key Words supersonic flow, Burgers vortex, shock wave, reflected shock, vortex breakdown.
