Synchronous high-speed measurements of a flexible structure under wind gust load

Abstract

Simultaneously measuring the fluid flow around a flexible structure and the resulting deformations during short-term yet highly dynamic flow events is the focus of this fluid–structure interaction (FSI) study. These scenarios occur when a wind gust impacts a flexible structure, leading to extreme loads and significant deflections. To mimic such gusts, a specifically designed wind gust generator is used within a wind tunnel featuring an open test section. A high-speed particle-image velocimetry system records the flow field, while the digital-image correlation technique captures the structural deformations. That allows us to perform synchronized coupled fluid–structure measurements for a T-structure under wind gust load. The time-resolved measurements are repeated up to 104 times, allowing for phase-averaging of both the flow and the structural data, and to examine the convergence of the statistics. A comprehensive analysis of the instantaneous and phase-averaged data reveals that the flow field in the vicinity of the structure undergoes noticeable changes during the gust impact. The recirculation region behind the T-structures perceptibly increases when the gust hits the structure. A maximum deformation of about 10% of its height is observed during the highly dynamic gust event. Given (1) the availability of synchronously recorded data for both the fluid flow and the structure deformation, (2) the simplicity of the structure's geometry, and (3) the moderate Reynolds number of about 4×104, this case also serves as a well-suited benchmark test case for evaluating simulation methodologies for strongly coupled, highly dynamic FSI problems.