  A new approach to turbulence simulation, based on a combination of large-eddy
simulation (LES) for the whole flow and an array of non-space-filling
quasi-direct numerical simulations (QDNS), which sample the response of
near-wall turbulence to large-scale forcing, is proposed and evaluated. The
technique overcomes some of the cost limitations of turbulence simulation,
since the main flow is treated with a coarse-grid LES, with the equivalent of
wall functions supplied by the near-wall sampled QDNS. Two cases are tested, at
friction Reynolds number Re$_\tau$=4200 and 20,000. The total grid node count
for the first case is less than half a million and less than two million for
the second case, with the calculations only requiring a desktop computer. A
good agreement with published DNS is found at Re$_\tau$=4200, both in terms of
the mean velocity profile and the streamwise velocity fluctuation statistics,
which correctly show a substantial increase in near-wall turbulence levels due
to a modulation of near-wall streaks by large-scale structures. The trend
continues at Re$_\tau$=20,000, in agreement with experiment, which represents
one of the major achievements of the new approach. A number of detailed aspects
of the model, including numerical resolution, LES-QDNS coupling strategy and
sub-grid model are explored. A low level of grid sensitivity is demonstrated
for both the QDNS and LES aspects. Since the method does not assume a law of
the wall, it can in principle be applied to flows that are out of equilibrium.
