An Approximate Analysis on Fluttering of Membrane Suspended in Uniform Aft Flow

Abstract

A membrane specimen, PTFE-coated glass fiber fabric, suspended between supports in the uniform air flow in wind tunnel began to flutter at a critical flow speed . This fluttering behavior was modeled as a sinusoidal travelling wave, and was analysed with an approximate method applying thin-airfoil theory and Hamilton's principle . By the analysis the flutter oscillation period-membrane stress curves were shown. The coincidence between the analytical and experimental results was confirmed by study on these curves, and the theoretical or practical region of the flow speed where the fluttering occurs was described. Some applied calculations were performed.