Variational Method for a Pseudoplastic Fluid in a Laminar Boundary Layer Over a Flat Plate

A variational method called the local potential is used to find an approximate solution of the laminar boundary-layer flow of a pseudoplastic fluid past a flat plate. The so-called power-law model relates the stress tensor to the rate-of-deformation tensor. The results of the variational approach are obtained in an analytical form and are found to agree well with the exact numerical solution.