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Nguyen, Dinh Tung (2017) Vortex-induced vibration of a 5:1 rectangular cylinder: new computational and mathematical modelling approaches. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.

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Abstract

As a the limit-cycle oscillation, vortex-induced vibration (VIV) does not cause catastrophic failure but it can lead to fatigue in long and slender structures and structural elements, especially for long span bridges. Assessing this behaviour during the design stage is therefore very important to ensure the safety and serviceability of a structure. Currently, this task requires very time-consuming wind tunnel or computational simulation since a reliable mathematical model is not available. Moreover, knowledge of the underlying physical mechanism of the VIV and, particularly, of the turbulence-induced effect on the VIV is insufficient. Turbulence is normally considered to produce suppressing effects on the VIV; however, this influence appears to depend on cross sections and a comprehensive explanation is yet to be found. This issue can be resulted from some limitation that most wind tunnel or computational studies have used sectional models. The flow field is therefore dominated by 2D flow features.

In this research study, the 5:1 rectangular cylinder is selected as the case study since it is considered as the generic bride deck geometry. Using the wind tunnel at the University of Nottingham, a series of wind tunnel tests using a static and elastically supported sectional model is conducted in smooth flow. This wind tunnel study is complemented by a computational study of a static and dynamic sectional model; the computational simulations are carried out using the Computational Fluid Dynamics software OpenFOAM and the High Performance Computer system at the University of Nottingham. A Fluid-structure-interaction (FSI) solver is built to model the heaving VIV. By comparing the surface pressure measurement between these two studies, it uncovers the two separate flow mechanisms and associated flow features, which are both responsible for the VIV.

The series of wind tunnel static and dynamic tests is also repeated in different turbulent flow regimes. By analysing the forces, moment, surface pressure and structural response, it reveals the mechanism of the turbulence-induced effect on the aerodynamic characteristics as well as on VIV.

By improving the proposed FSI solver, a novel computational approach is introduced to simulate the VIV of a flexible 5:1 rectangular cylinder excited at the first bending mode shape. Employing the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) technique and comparing against results of the sectional model, some emerging span-wise flow features are revealed together with their influences on the mechanism of the bending VIV.

The Hartlen and Currie mathematical model for the VIV is generalised so that it is able to simulate the VIV response of a 3D flexible structure. Such modifications and improvements are originated from and assessed by results of the computational simulation of the flexible model. A case study of the Great Belt East bridge is then carried out to verify this modified model.

Item Type:	Thesis (University of Nottingham only) (PhD)
Supervisors:	Hargreaves, David Owen, John S.
Keywords:	Bridges,Floors, Aerodynamics, Vibration (Aeronautics), Damping, Vortex-motion
Subjects:	T Technology > TG Bridge engineering
Faculties/Schools:	UK Campuses > Faculty of Engineering
Item ID:	43008
Depositing User:	Nguyen, Dinh
Date Deposited:	13 Jul 2017 04:40
Last Modified:	13 Oct 2017 00:27
URI:	https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/43008

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