Large-eddy simulations of a subsonic three-dimensional cavity flow with self-sustaining oscillations are carried out for a Reynolds number based on the length of the cavity equal to $7\,{\times}\,10^6$. Meticulous comparisons with available experimental data corresponding to the same configuration demonstrate a high level of accuracy. Special attention is paid to the mixing layer that develops over the cavity and two different zones are identified. The first one is dominated by Kelvin–Helmholtz instability, and the linear as well as quadratic energy transfers leading to the filling of velocity spectra are described. The Kelvin–Helmholtz instability also appears to be forced near the origin of the layer, and it is postulated that the small recirculation bubble located in this area is responsible for the forcing. Downstream of the first zone and up to the vicinity of the aft wall, the layer behaves very similarly to a free mixing layer by exhibiting a linear spreading. An influence of the recirculating flow inside the cavity upon the growth of the layer is nevertheless observed at downstream stations. Analysis of the pressure on the floor of the cavity reveals that the self-sustaining oscillation-related pressure modes (Rossiter modes) are independent of their spanwise location inside the cavity. On the contrary, Rossiter modes exhibit streamwise modulations and it is demonstrated that a very simple two-wave model is able to reproduce the spatial shape of the modes. Nonlinear interactions between Rossiter modes are encountered, as well as nonlinear interactions with low-frequency components. A joint time–frequency analysis shows a temporal modulation of the Rossiter mode levels at similar low frequencies, resulting in a special form of intermittency with competitive energy exchanges between modes.

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A hybrid conservative finite difference/finite element scheme is proposed for the solution of the unsteady incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. Using velocity-pressure variables on a non-staggered grid system, the solution is obtained with a projection method based on the resolution of a pressure Poisson equation.The new proposed scheme is derived from the finite element spatial discretization using the Galerkin method with piecewise bilinear polynomial basis functions defined on quadrilateral elements. It is applied to the pressure gradient term and to the non-linear convection term as in the so-called group finite element method. It ensures strong coupling between spatial directions, inhibiting the development of oscillations during long-term computations, as demonstrated by the validation studies.Two-and three-dimensional unsteady separated flows with open boundaries have been simulated with the proposed method using Cartesian uniform mesh grids. Several examples of calculations on the backward-facing step configuration are reported and the results obtained are compared with those given by other methods. # 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Int. j. numer. methods fluids 24: 833-861, 1997.

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