Vortex-Induced Vibrations of a Flexible Cylinder in a Slowly Varying Flow: Experimental Results

Abstract

This paper deals with a wind tunnel simulation of the vortex-induced vibrations of a long flexible cylinder in cross-flow when the flow velocity varies periodically with different low frequencies and different flow velocity amplitude. The experimental set-up consists of a flexible tube suspended at the nodes of its first free-free mode of vibration. In order to modulate the wind velocity, the fan rpm of the wind tunnel is controlled: this simulation allows the excursions and incursions in the region of lock-in as well as the periodical crossing of the critical curve separating the 2S and 2P modes of vortex shedding. The additional objective of the simulation is to reproduce more closely the behavior of aerial conductor in the fields and exposed to large scale and low frequency “turbulence”. The results show that the amplitude of vibrations of the flexible tube is modulated with the frequency of the periodic wind fluctuations: it can range from a simple beating to chaotic fluctuations superimposed to a mean. The amplitude of vibrations, when compared to the case of steady wind velocity, may decrease or increase according to the range of the wind mean velocity. Modulation taking different shapes is observed: it may adopt a wave form made of “sharp” peaks or “smooth” periodic oscillations or a combination of the two; sometimes it may be of chaotic form. A link is established between the “sharp” peaks, the occurrence of bifurcations, the presence of the two modes of vortex shedding and the critical curve. The instantaneous amplitude of vibrations is observed to exceed that measured under steady flow conditions.