http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/18156 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/25621 Turbulent Flow over a Flexible Wall Undergoing a Streamwise Traveling Wavy Motion Shen, Lian Zhang, Xiang Yue, Dick K.P. Triantafyllou, Michael S. Direct numerical simulation is used to study the turbulent flow over a smooth wavy wall undergoing transverse motion in the form of a streamwise travelling wave. The Reynolds number based on the mean velocity U of the external flow and wall motion wavelength λ is 10 170; the wave steepness is 2πa/λ = 0.25 where a is the travelling wave amplitude. A key parameter for this problem is the ratio of the wall motion phase speed c to U, and results are obtained for c/U in the range of −1.0 to 2.0 at 0.2 intervals. For negative c/U, we find that flow separation is enhanced and a large drag force is produced. For positive c/U, the results show that as c/U increases from zero, the separation bubble moves further upstream and away from the wall, and is reduced in strength. Above a threshold value of c/U ≈ 1, separation is eliminated; and, relative to small- c/U cases, turbulence intensity and turbulent shear stress are reduced significantly. The drag force decreases monotonically as c/U increases while the power required for the transverse motion generally increases for large c/U; the net power input is found to reach a minimum at c/U ≈ 1.2 (for fixed U). The results obtained in this study provide physical insight into the study of fish-like swimming mechanisms in terms of drag reduction and optimal propulsive efficiency. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/25620 Three-dimensional flow structures and vorticity control in fish-like swimming Zhu, Q. Wolfgang, M.J. Yue, D.K.P. Triantafyllou, M.S. We employ a three-dimensional, nonlinear inviscid numerical method, in conjunction with experimental data from live fish and from a fish-like robotic mechanism, to establish the three-dimensional features of the flow around a fish-like body swimming in a straight line, and to identify the principal mechanisms of vorticity control employed in fish-like swimming. The computations contain no structural model for the fish and hence no recoil correction. First, we show the near-body flow structure produced by the travelling-wave undulations of the bodies of a tuna and a giant danio. As revealed in cross-sectional planes, for tuna the flow contains dominant features resembling the flow around a two-dimensional oscillating plate over most of the length of the fish body. For the giant danio, on the other hand, a mixed longitudinal-transverse structure appears along the hind part of the body. We also investigate the interaction of the body-generated vortices with the oscillating caudal fin and with tail-generated vorticity. Two distinct vorticity interaction modes are identified: the first mode results in high thrust and is generated by constructive pairing of body-generated vorticity with same-sign tail-generated vorticity, resulting in the formation of a strong thrust wake; the second corresponds to high propulsive efficiency and is generated by destructive pairing of body-generated vorticity with opposite-sign tail-generated vorticity, resulting in the formation of a weak thrust wake. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/25619 Vortex-induced vibrations of a cylinder with tripping wires Hover, F.S. Tvedt, H. Triantafyllou, M.S. Thin wires are attached on the outer surface and parallel to the axis of a smooth circular cylinder in a steady cross-stream, modelling the effect of protrusions and attachments. The impact of the wires on wake properties, and vortex-induced loads and vibration are studied at Reynolds numbers up to 4.6 X 10^4, with 3.0 X 10^4 as a focus point. For a stationary cylinder, wires cause significant reductions in drag and lift coefficients as well as an increase in the Strouhal number to a value around 0.25-0.27. For a cylinder forced to oscillate harmonically, the main observed wire effects are: (a) an earlier onset of frequency lock-in, when compared with the smooth cylinder case; (b) at moderate amplitude/cylinder diameter (A=D) ratios (0.2 and 0.5), changes in the phase of wake velocity and of lift with respect to motion are translated to higher forcing frequencies, and (c) at A=D = 1:0, no excitation region exists; the lift force is always dissipative. The flow-induced response of a flexibly mounted cylinder with attached wires is significantly altered as well, even far away from lock-in. Parameterizing the response using nominal reduced velocity Vrn = U/fnD, we found that frequency lock-in occurs and lift phase angles change through 180deg at Vrn=4.9; anemometry in the wake confirms that a mode transition accompanies this premature lock-in. A plateau of constant response is established in the range Vrn = 5.1-6.0, reducing the peak amplitude moderately, and then vibrations are drastically reduced or eliminated above Vrn = 6.0. The vortex-induced vibration response of the cylinder with wires is extremely sensitive to angular bias near the critical value of Vrn = 6.0, and moderately so in the regime of suppressed vibration. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/25618 Drag reduction in fish-like locomotion Barrett, D.S. Triantafyllou, M.S. Yue, D.K.P. Grosenbaugh, M.A. Wolfgang, M.J. We present experimental force and power measurements demonstrating that the power required to propel an actively swimming, streamlined, fish-like body is significantly smaller than the power needed to tow the body straight and rigid at the same speed U. The data have been obtained through accurate force and motion measurements on a laboratory fish-like robotic mechanism, 1:2m long, covered with a flexible skin and equipped with a tail fin, at Reynolds numbers up to 10^6, with turbulence stimulation. The lateral motion of the body is in the form of a travelling wave with wavelength lambda and varying amplitude along the length, smoothly increasing from the front to the tail end. A parametric investigation shows sensitivity of drag reduction to the non-dimensional frequency (Strouhal number), amplitude of body oscillation and wavelength lambda, and angle of attack and phase angle of the tail fin. A necessary condition for drag reduction is that the phase speed of the body wave be greater than the forward speed U. Power estimates using an inviscid numerical scheme compare favourably with the experimental data. The method employs a boundary-integral method for arbitrary flexible body geometry and motions, while the wake shed from the fish-like form is modelled by an evolving desingularized dipole sheet.