Experimental research on vortex-induced vibrations of flexible circular cylinders at low Reynolds number: revealing atypical branches Article uri icon

abstract

  • This study presents the experimental results of 31 cantilevered flexible circular cylinders, subjected to vortex-induced vibrations, with different materials, diameters and lengths. Diameter and length ranges are 1.56 mm ≤ D ≤ 3.19 mm and 30 cm ≤ L ≤ 40 cm, respectively. Tested materials are aluminum, bronze, copper and stainless steel. A total of 1905 experimental points were obtained and processed with the Particle Velocimetry technique. A Matlab code was developed to obtain the maximum amplitude for several Reynolds number through the synchronization regime. Reynolds number range is 75 ≤ Re ≤ 1050. Results illustrate the existence of four different groups corresponding to different maximum amplitude behaviors. As some of these behaviors are not yet reported in the literature, each branch is distinguished and explained in detail. One group presents two local maximum amplitudes and the global maximum is not located in the initial branch as usually expected. In order to classify all the groups, several parameters were analyzed. The slope of reduced velocity vs Reynolds number resulted in the best parameter. This parameter, and therefore the classification of a given cylinder, can be predicted through a 2D polynomial linear fit by knowing only the L/D and mass damping ratios. © 2019 Elsevier Ltd

publication date

  • 2020-01-01