Vortex Formation in the Wake of a Vibrating, Flexible Cable

Abstract

The von Karman vortex streets formed in the wakes of vibrating, flexible cables were studied using a hot-wire anemometer. All the experiments took place in the flow regime where the vibration and vortex-shedding frequencies lock together, or synchronize, to control the wake formation. Detailed measurements were made of the vortex formation flow for Reynolds numbers between 230 and 650. As in the case of vibrating cylinders, the formation-region length is dependent on a shedding parameter St* related to the natural Strouhal number and the vibrational conditions. Furthermore, the near wake configuration is found to be dependent on the local amplitude of vibration suggesting that the vibrating cylinder rseults are directly applicable in that region.