Numerical simulation of flow-induced vibration of a circular cylinder close to a free surface at low Reynolds number

Abstract

The flow-induced vibration of a two-degree-of-freedom cylinder near a free surface at low Reynolds number (Re = 200) is numerically investigated using the lattice Boltzmann method and a free-surface model. The effects of the Froude number and submergence depth on the characteristics of the flow field and cylinder vibration are discussed. With the approach of the free surface, the wake behind the cylinder interacts with the free surface, resulting in a switch in the vortex shedding mode and the fluctuation of the free surface, which in turn affects the vibration of the cylinder. Additionally, a decrease in the normalized submergence depth h ∗ results in a decrease in the transverse amplitude of vibration and an increase in the streamwise amplitude. The topology of the cylinder vibration trajectory changes from a curve of eight to a teardrop, half-moon, or ellipse shape and gradually loses symmetry. Seven characteristic parameters are extracted from the trajectory of the cylinder, among which the amplitude of the vibration frequency and the phase difference of the vibration in different directions mainly affect the symmetry and topological structure of the trajectory.