Flutter of Fixed-Free Elastic Strip in Uniform Flow

Abstract

The dynamic instability of a slender front-fixed-aft-free elastic strip in a uniform airflow is studied analytically. The analysis is performed by using the unsteady slender body aerodynamic theory and the beam theory. The analysis reveals that flutter may occur as a result of coupling between the first and second bending oscillation modes as a result of aerodynamic force when the flow speed overcomes the critical speed. One approximate method is derived, and the flutter speed, mode, and frequency are examined numerically. These approximate results are compared with other approximate ones derived by the two-term Galerkin method. And when the virtual-air-mass to strip mass ratio is sufficiently small, the flutter speed by the present method coincides with that by the two-term Galerkin method.