Numerical simulation of flutter generated on a rectangular sheet in air flow:

influence of flow around the side edge of the sheet on flutter characteristics

Abstract

Flutter of thin elastic plates (sheets) in air flow is an important engineering problem. Thus, understanding of detailed flutter characteristics is crucial. In this study, fluid – structure interaction simulation using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is performed to examine the flow field around a fluttering sheet. The Navier – Stokes and continuity equations are discretized by the finite volume method (FVM). In addition, the finite element method (FEM) is applied to structural analysis. It is found that flow separation around the side edge of a sheet affects flutter amplitude.