Vortex-Induced Oscillation-A Selective Review
Vortex-Induced Oscillation-A Selective Review
Vortex-Induced Oscillation-A Selective Review
The following review paper was prepared by invitation of the Applied Mechanics Division to acquaint our readers with
some of the mechanics work which has been done and some of the problems which remain in the important field of
fluid-solid interaction. ENGINEERING SOCIETIES
JUN2 61979
This paper reviews the vortex-induced oscillations in a few specific fundamental cases.
Research topics discussed are vortex shedding from a stationary bluff body; consequences
of the synchronization phenomenon; wake-oscillator models; added mass, damping, and
dynamic response measurements; flow-field models and the discrete-vortex method;
mechanism of synchronization; and, finally, in-line oscillations. Because of the selective
nature of the review, a fairly comprehensive listing of recent contributions to the litera-
ture on these and related aspects of flow-induced oscillations research is an essential part
of the exposition.
8 0 1 - t*
deforming turbulent sheet and thereby the further supply of circu-
lation to the vortex whose rate of growth has already been reduced Fig. 1(b) Alternate shedding of vortices and its relation to the lift force
to its minimum. This corresponds to the shedding of the first vortex. [10]
The vortex across the wake still continues to grow (but at a decreasing
rate) and entrains part of the oppositely signed vorticity left in the
range of values of D and V. This postulated constant is often called
wake by the cut sheet and the irrotational fluid drawn from outside
the Strouhal number and Strouhal's own data suggested a value of
through the opening created by the shedding of the first vortex. The
about 0.185. The characterization of the vortex-shedding process by
shedding process for the second vortex does not commence until the
a simple frequency is a practical simplification. As first noted by Lord
circulation in its feeding sheet decreases to its minimum, making the
Rayleigh [13], the Strouhal number is a function of the Reynolds
sheet most susceptible to rapid diffusion. Simultaneously, the sheet
number for a given body 2 and / should be written as / = So(Re) VI
deforms, diffuses, and is drawn across the wake by the action of the
D.
base pressure and the vortex growing on the other side of the wake.
Then the shedding cycle repeats itself.1 The aforementioned mech- At relatively low subcritical Reynolds numbers, the energy con-
anism, exhibited by numerical experiments [10] is quite similar, but taining frequencies are confined to a narrow band, and the Strouhal
not identical, to that suggested by Gerrard [11]. number is about 0.20 for smooth cylinders [8]. For Reynolds numbers
larger than about 20,000, only an average Strouhal number may be
The separation point at the side of the cut sheet just passes through
defined. In the range 0.5 X 106 < Re < 2.5 X 106 no periodicity is ob-
its minimum angle. The sheet at the opposite side of the wake bears
served in either the unsteady lift or the unsteady pressures. In the
nearly the maximum circulation, relative to any other time, and its
range 2.5 X 106 < Re < 6.5 X 106 a small peak is observed at S 0 = 0.2
separation-point angle just passes through a maximum. The motion
in the unsteady lift and in unsteady pressures only at the front part
of the stagnation point is such that it is 180 deg out-of-phase with the
of the cylinder. No peak is found behind the separation point. For Re
separation points, i.e., the separation point is below the x -axis (flow
> 6.5 X 106, a definite peak is found in both the unsteady lift and the
from left to right) when a vortex is shed from the bottom of the cyl-
unsteady pressures at So = 0.3. The said periodicity occurs both at
inder.
the front and rear part of the cylinder [16]. The foregoing categori-
The shedding of the vortices gives rise to an oscillating side thrust, zation is somewhat arbitrary. Jones, et al., [17], classified the unsteady
upon a cylinder of suitable afterbody, in a direction away from the last lift force in three regimes: wide-band random for 1.1 X 106 < Re < 3.5
detached vortex. The relationship between the vortex-shedding fre- X 106; narrow-band random for 3.5 X 106 < Re < 6 X 106; and quasi-
quency, cylinder diameter, and the velocity of the ambient flow has periodic for 6 X 106 < Re < 18.7 X 106.
been discovered by Strouhal [12] almost exactly 100 years ago in
The spectral content of the exciting forces is particularly important
connection with his work on a special method of creation of sound.
His data showed that the product fD/V is nearly constant for a wide
2
So = 0.21(1 - 20/Re) for 40 < Re < 1000 (Goldstein [14]; S0 = 0.212 (1 -
1
For a circular cylinder there is a 60-deg phase difference between the lift 12.7/Re) in the range 400 < Re < 100,000 according to a correlation obtained
maximum and the sheet cutting time, i.e., a vortex is shed when the lift force by Roshko [15]. In the range 400 < Re < 1200 the results of Roshko's correlation
decreases to 50 percent of the absolute value of its maximum. are slightly below the best-fit line to the existing data [8].
6
Fixing separation at 9, = ±70 deg by a tripping wire on a circular cylinder
5
The generality of these values is not certain since in Novak and Tanaka's yielded a nearly constant Cpb at - 1.39 for AID = 0.1 for all values of fdfo from
[66] experiments the cylinder length (between the end plates) was only 12 di- 0.4 to 1.3 [72]. The reason for this anomalous behavior is not clear. Confirmatory
ameters. experiments are needed.
(b)
0.99
Fig. 3 Response characteristics as predicted by the Hartlen-Currie model; from Hartlen and Currie [87].
The results of his model predicted, as it was designed to, most of the amplitude.11 However, the results of equation (11) are quite sensitive
observed features. He was able to explain "hard excitation" in Feng's to the Strouhal number, particularly for Ar smaller than about 0.4.
experiments (see, e.g., [99] for a detailed discussion of soft and hard Iwan [90] extended his model to flexible structures. Subsequently,
excitation). Szechenyi's [98] model is closer to the original proposal Blevins and Burton [91], following a somewhat different approach,
of Birkhoff [23]. He assumed a fictitious, symmetric, oscillatory airfoil used random vibration theory and represented the vortex-induced
attached to the cylinder and examined its oscillation under the action forces by a narrow-band, stationary random process. This model ac-
of a periodic lift force through well-known aerodynamic consider- commodates for the variation in correlation length and accounts for
ations. The details of the analysis are rather cumbersome and it is the dependence of the vortex shedding upon the amplitude of oscil-
difficult to separate the assumptions from the predictions. However, lation and the L/D ratio through judicious selection of three con-
he did obtain good correlation with the experimental values of stants.
Ci(rms) and the phase angle. Further developments of the oscillator models dealt with the ex-
Iwan and Blevins [89] arrived at the Hartlen-Currie model through planation of the occurrence of two stable amplitudes of oscillation for
considerations based on the vortex street. However, their fluid- the circular cylinder in the range of flow velocities producing syn-
mechanical arguments are not altogether convincing and shed no more chronization. Currie, et al., [71], attributed the observed phenomenon
light on the subject than those of Hartlen and Currie (for an appli- to the slight nonlinearity of the mechanical spring, as suggested by
cation of the Iwan-Blevins model and more favorable opinions see the behavior of hard and soft springs [99]. They have modified
[100]). equation (2) so that the restoring force term xr was replaced by xr (1
The maximum amplitude at perfect synchronization is given by - txr2) which represents, for e « 1, a slightly nonlinear mechanical
Iwan and Blevins as [1, 89]. spring. They have shown that such small nonlinearities in the re-
storing force could produce a double-amplitude response in the res-
0.44 7 4.52 S0 1/2
onant range of the two frequencies involved. Since nonlinearities of
(A/DU 2 0.3 + - 2 (ID
Ar + 11.94 So Ar + 11.94 So the order of 2 percent produced double-amplitudes, they have con-
in which y is the dimensionless mode shape factor and is given by cluded that this might be the explanation of the phenomenon. Sub-
[1] sequently, Oey, et al., [68], proposed an alternative theory based on
j\2(.y)dy
1/2
11
7 = tmax(y/L) (12) Griffin, et al., [61], least-square fit to the existing data is given by
J^V(y)dy (A/D)mM = 1.29T/[1 + 0.43Ar*)-3-36 (13)
Sarpkaya [73] obtained
where ^(y) is the mode shape at each spanwise point y. y = 1.0 for a
spring-supported rigid cylinder, 1.305 for the first mode of a cantile- {A/D)mSL% = 0.327/[0.06 + A,.*]-"2 (14)
ver, and 1.155 for a sinusoidal mode. The results of equations (12)-(14) will be compared later in connection with
Equation (11), a least-squares fit [61] to the existing data, and the discussion of experimental results. Ar* in equation (13) includes both the
Sarpkaya's [73] formulation yield similar results for the resonant structural and still-fluid effects.
4«
0.5 -
? A/D = 0 . 5 0
?'*
<J" O •*- _2
7
•y v.
'"$,• A/D = 0 . 5 0
•H,
• r
— 1.0 -
L*
Fig. 4(b) Variation of the drag coefficient as a function of V, for AID = 0.5
[96]
where Am is the added mass. For a circular cylinder, this reduces p 4-\/2
f -
= +0.34(A/Z)) 2 (24)
to P:
It should be emphasized that f/ does not include the structural
fnlfnw = V I + Cmhplps = V I + 2C m / ,7r 3 OoS 0 2 (21)
damping.
Simple string equations exist for the calculation of /„ in terms of Skop, et al., [113], carried out experiments at Re,,, = 1720 and 6080
and proposed the following empirical equation (see also [114]):
15
Attempts [105] to interpret Cmj, cos 4>, Cmh sin $,Cn, cos 0, and Cdh sin 4.5
+ 0.454 (A/D - 0.4)ff (25)
<l> as fluid added mass, fluid damping, fluid inertia, andfluidexcitation are at o=-
best superficial and do not bring any additional understanding to the phe-
nomenon. i which H = 0 for AID < 0.4 and H = 1 for A/D > 0.4. The linear
2.0
1.5
IK
1.0 o
A
0.0
0 0.2 0.4 CL 0.6 0-8
Fig. 5 Various lift-coefficient data for oscillating cylinders, from King [3]
X 2f s x r 2 dT
Jo
aoilcPCiXrdj (26)
which reduces to 17
Note that a 0 and Qe are not independent. Also note that as Ar -» 0, xrm ~
fio2Ci atflo2Ci,/(l - fie2)- Experiments have shown that the limiting value ofxrm ' 8
(A/D) max = x„ (27) between 1.0 and 1.5. Assuming xrm = 1.25, Qo = 1-05, and Ci - 0.56, one has
2
0 2\2- 1/2 a 0 /(l — Qc2) - 2.02. Assuming this value to remain invariant, equation (27)
2fi„ A r + reduces to (A//J) maI = 0.317/(0.062 + Ar2)~1/2. This is a slightly modified ver-
2Sicoo
sion of equation (14) and will be identified as equation (14b). For Ar > 1, Xrm
=a 0.31Ar-1. This result as well as equations (11) and (13) tend to overpredict
slightly the amplitude for Ar > 3 or xrm < 0.1. Reduced spanwise correlation
at such amplitudes may yield relatively smaller response, explaining in part
' This example corresponds to the values given in [106]. the behavior of equations (11)—(14).
150
2.
- 120 CD
5-s = 0.004
a = 0.004 90
0
cr
S =0.205 60
1.4 30
cn
CD
0 o 0 •
1.2
0.25
V 0.8
0.00
lo"1
0.6
-.25
-.50
X
r ,»•
0.4
-.75
0.2 Fig. 8 (a) Rate of change of circulation versus time; (ft) displacement versus
time
lea.
50.
(a)
2.0
1.5
d 1.0
CD
0.5
0.0
-.6
the synchronization region (see Fig. 7). The small amplitude oscilla-
tions exhibited nearly periodic modulations. Fig. 13 (a) Variation of the rate of change of circulation with time during
Mechanism of Synchronization. The sequence of events revealed the early stages of cylinder oscillation; (b) evolution of the cylinder re-
by the numerical experiments may be summarized as follows. Assume sponse
that /o ^ /„. As soon as the cylinder begins to move upward under the
action of the transverse force, the lower attached-vortex sheet lags
behind because of its inertia. Thus the wake axis passing through the
instantaneous center of the cylinder rotates clockwise (see Fig. 12, t*
= 189). In the meantime, the velocity relative to the cylinder rotates stantaneous value of the net circulation about the cylinder. The vortex
clockwise an angle dictated by the velocity of the uniform flow and spiral which is attached to the upper separation point does not move
the instantaneous velocity of the cylinder. The rotation of the velocity out of the cylinder's way because of its inertia and consequently comes
vector coupled with the rotation of the wake axis moves the upper closer to the approaching cylinder. These facts, namely, the increase
separation point further downstream and the lower separation point of circulation and the decrease of the relative distance between the
further upstream relative to those on a stationary cylinder, as sug- cylinder and the upper vortex spiral, confirm the observations made
gested by Marris [6]. r at the upper separation point increases rapidly by Davies [24] that "the growing vortex on vibrating cylinders seems
and decreases at the lower separation point. In other words, maximum to roll up more quickly and with a strength about 35 percent larger
and minimum values of r do not occur simultaneously, as on a sta- than that for a stationary cylinder."
tionary cylinder, and the f versus t* curves become skewed (see Fig. The phenomenon is, however, relatively more complex than the
13). The net effect of the foregoing is to increase the strength of the simplified introductory remarks would suggest. There are two other
vortex toward which the cylinder is moving and to increase the in- factors which enhance the strengths of the attached vortices. The first
E< 0
0.5
0.0
-.5
1.0
is the decrease of the dissipation of circulation with amplitude. The
second is directly related to the difference between the period of os- 0.5
cillation of the cylinder, Tc = l// c =* l//n, and the time required for
the shedding of a vortex from a stationary cylinder, i.e., the time
difference (T c — To). Each growing vortex about an oscillating cyl- 0.0
inder continues to be fed circulation not only at a higher rate but also
for a longer time period. This further reinforces the strength of each
growing vortex. The link between the enhanced vortex strength and -.5
the locking-on of the vortex shedding frequency to the frequency of
cylinder oscillation is through the relationship between vortex
strength and the Strouhal number. The results of the stationary -1.0
cylinder analysis have shown [10] that the larger the strength of the 284. 28S 292. 294.
vortices in the near wake, the smaller is the Strouhal number and vice Fig. 15(b) Variation of lift coefficient, displacement, velocity, and accel-
versa [see also equation (1)]. The decrease of S, or the increase of T„, eration as a function of time for £ = 0
brings T„ closer to T c . This process is reinforced every succeeding
cycle until T„ a Tc =* Tn. It is this reinforcing action only that gives
this type oscillations the "self-excited" character. Otherwise, the
cylinder is literally plucked by each shed vortex at the most favorable 2. r
moment and forced to oscillate at its natural frequency. Consequently,
a more appropriate question is not why the vortex shedding locks onto
the natural frequency in the so-called synchronization region but
rather why does the vortex shedding not lock onto the cylinder fre-
quency for all flow velocities. For To > Tn, the vortex strength cannot
be reduced, relative to its stationary cylinder value, so as to increase
sufficiently the Strouhal number or /„ (at least for a circular cylinder)
in order to make T„ a* T„. Likewise, for T 0 « Tn, i.e., f0 » fn (end
of lock-in range), the strength of the vortices cannot be increased,
enough so as to bring /„ down to a value nearly equal to /„. This latter
situation is rather precarious because of the presence of unusually
strong vortices near the cylinder. An accidental change in the flow
velocity, cylinder frequency, or vortex strength can bring about a fairly
abrupt change in both the amplitude and the lift force. Arguments Fig. 15(c) Variation of lift coefficient, displacement, velocity, and accel-
similar to those presented above may be used to explain the existence eration as a function of time for E > 0
of a second resonance region when /„ = l/3/o [119].
The foregoing explanation dealt only with the kinematics of the nized oscillations, the increased strength of the vortices, growing
fluid motion. In the final analysis, it is the balance between the work ahead of the cylinder motion, increases T„. This, in turn, decreases
done by the fluid on the cylinder and the work done by the internal the phase angle between the force and the displacement which then
friction that determine the stability of the oscillations. The parameter increases the phase angle between the force and the velocity. Con-
which establishes the relationship between the friction mechanism sequently, the energy transferred from the fluid to the cylinder de-
and the given state of oscillation is the phase angle <f> by which the creases below that dissipated by the material damping. This sequence
excitation leads the response. It is given by [see equations (8) and of events decreases the amplitude to the level where the energy ex-
(9)] tracted from the fluid over a cycle is just balanced by that dissipated
2 by internal friction.
t a n 0 = 2f s fl c /(l - Oc ) (35)
For an unstable state where the energy balance does not hold true,
In the case of synchronization, the maximum velocity of the cylinder one has, after multiplying equation (32) with >j and integrating,
leads the maximum lift and the lift force reduces to zero shortly after
the cylinder reaches its peak amplitude (see Fig. 14). In other words, £ = 27T2S02ao CT CLi)dt* -(27rfSo/fio) f i,2dt* (36)
the lift force opposes the cylinder motion for a short time period as Jo Jo
T) begins to decrease from its maximum. If for any accidental reason The variation of ij, T/, T}, and Ci with time is shown in Fig. 15 for
?) were to be increased, while the cylinder was undergoing synchro- E > 0 (amplification), E = 0 (steady-state oscillation), and for
In the region of V/fcD- values for which V > Um, the relative ve-
locity about the cylinder is always in the downstream direction. This
Acknowledgments
Part of the work reported here was supported by the National
Science Foundation and part by the Civil Engineering Laboratory of
19
One such numerical experiment requires 8 hr of computer time on CDC- the Naval Construction Battalion Center. The writer would like
6600. gratefully to acknowledge the support of these sponsors.