Flutter Speed Determination of Two Degree of Freedom Model Using Discrete Vortex Method

Abstract

This paper describes a fluid-structure interaction methodology to determine flutter speed of a two degree of freedom model. Fluid properties are calculated using a specially developed mesh-free computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method called Discrete Vortex Method (DVM). The acquired unsteady aerodynamic loads from DVM are used to calculate the flutter derivatives. The results are then used to predict the maximum allowable wind speed before flutter occurs. To test the methodology, a flutter instability analysis of a long span bridge with two degree of freedom (heaving and pitching) is performed. It is found that results obtained using the current methods are in good agreement with those obtained in previous studies.