Fluid-Structure Interactions

Structures in contact with fluid flow, whether natural or man-made, are inevitably subject to flow-induced forces and flow-induced vibration: from plant leaves to traffic signs and to more substantial structures, such as bridge decks and heat exchanger tubes. Under certain conditions the vibration may be self-excited, and it is usually referred to as an instability. These instabilities and, more specifically, the conditions under which they arise are of great importance to designers and operators of the systems concerned because of the significant potential to cause damage in the short term. Such flow-induced instabilities are the subject of this book. In particular, the flow-induced instabilities treated in this book are associated with cross-flow, that is, flow normal to the long axis of the structure. The book treats a specific set of problems that are fundamentally and technologically important: galloping, vortex-shedding oscillations under lock-in conditions, and rain-and-wind-induced vibrations, among others. The emphasis throughout is on providing a physical description of the phenomena that is as clear and up-to-date as possible.

Michael Païdoussis is Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering at McGill University. He is a Fellow of the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering (CSME), the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IME), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the American Academy of Mechanics (AAM). Professor Paidoussis is the founding editor of the Journal of Fluids and Structures. His principal research interests are in fluid-structure interactions, flow-induced vibrations, aero- and hydroelasticity, dynamics, nonlinear dynamics and chaos.

Stuart Price is Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering at McGill University. His research is focused on the dynamics and stability of structures exposed to a fluid flow. The topics studies are inspired by, and often directly related to, real engineering problems - for example, heat exchangers, offshore structures, overhead transmission lines and aircraft structures.

Emmanuel de Langre is a Professor of Mechanics in École Polytechnique. He is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Fluids and Structures. He has worked as an engineer in the French nuclear industry. His principal research interests are in fluid-structure interactions and vibrations of engineering systems, such as heat exchangers and underwater offshore risers but also of natural systems such as crops and trees moving under wind load.