diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/Vector/VectorI.H b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/Vector/VectorI.H
index 518a398dc..7cde6e3b0 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/Vector/VectorI.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/Vector/VectorI.H
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   =========                 |
   \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
    \\    /   O peration     |
-    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011-2016 OpenFOAM Foundation
+    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011-2018 OpenFOAM Foundation
      \\/     M anipulation  |
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
@@ -160,6 +160,17 @@ inline Vector<Cmpt> operator^(const Vector<Cmpt>& v1, const Vector<Cmpt>& v2)
 }
 
 
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Global Functions  * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+template<class Cmpt>
+inline Vector<Cmpt> perpendicular(const Vector<Cmpt>& v)
+{
+    Vector<Cmpt> u(Zero);
+    u[findMin(cmptMag(v))] = 1;
+    return u ^ v;
+}
+
+
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
 } // End namespace Foam
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/VectorSpace/VectorSpaceI.H b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/VectorSpace/VectorSpaceI.H
index afd654cd3..fb30cb0ef 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/VectorSpace/VectorSpaceI.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/VectorSpace/VectorSpaceI.H
@@ -620,6 +620,30 @@ inline typename innerProduct<Form1, Form2>::type dot
 }
 
 
+template<class Form, class Cmpt, direction Ncmpts>
+inline direction findMax(const VectorSpace<Form, Cmpt, Ncmpts>& vs)
+{
+    direction index = 0;
+    for (direction i=1; i<Ncmpts; ++i)
+    {
+        index = vs[index] > vs[i] ? index : i;
+    }
+    return index;
+}
+
+
+template<class Form, class Cmpt, direction Ncmpts>
+inline direction findMin(const VectorSpace<Form, Cmpt, Ncmpts>& vs)
+{
+    direction index = 0;
+    for (direction i=1; i<Ncmpts; ++i)
+    {
+        index = vs[index] < vs[i] ? index : i;
+    }
+    return index;
+}
+
+
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Global Operators  * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
 template<class Form, class Cmpt, direction Ncmpts>