ON THE FORCES TRANSMITTED TO A VIBRATING
CYLINDER BY A BLOWING FLUID*
(Experimental study and analysis of the phenomenon)
Giorgio Diana** and Marzio Falco***
S O M M A R I O : Si descrive l'apparato di misura utilizzato per
te ricerche sperimentali eseguite in camera a vento al fine di deter-
minare /e forze esercitate da una vena fluida su un cilindro libero
di vibrare. Si espongono te modalita di prova ed i risu/tati pit~
salienti. Dopo un'analisi dei risultati si dabora un modello mec-
canico per interpretare la natura del fenomeno.
S U M M A R Y : The measuring apparatus used for experimental
wind tunnel studies is described together with the test procedure
and salient results. After an analysis of the results, a mechanical
nmde/ is developed to explain the nature of the phenomenon.
1. Introduction.
The problem of the fluid-elastic forces responsible for
the vibrations of a cylindrical body with a circular section
subjected perpendicularly to its axis by a blowing fluid
is very well known. Many researchers have tackled the
analysis, both experimental and theoretical, of the pheno-
menon and clarified the nature of the problem and its
characteristics. We refer the reader to a previous paper [1]
for a description of the most salient results of work on
the subject. The problem is relevant to many fields of
engineering; workers are chiefly interested in the field
of vibrations induced by the wind on H. V. transmission
lines.
A good knowledge of the action of the forces transmitted
by the wind to a stranded cable due to vortices shedding
and hence of the energy introduced by wind would enable
us to determine with certainty the amplitudes of vibration
of the transmission lines and hence of the stress state,
already determined in other papers [2] [3], of which
this paper is a logical outcome.
Not a lot of work, however, has been done on the prob-
lem of how to determine the energy introduced by a
blowing fluid or rather the forces transmitted by the fluid
to a cylinder.
At the present time to solve the problem of transmission
lines we can rely only on the results of Farquharson [9],
who determined the energy produced by the wind exper-
* This study forms part of a project that has been carried out
jointly by A. Salvi & C. SpA and the Institute of Applied
Mechanics, Milan Polytechnic. The Institute of Applied
Mechanics received a CNR subsidy to take part in this
project.
** Istituto di MeccanicaApplicata, Politecnico di Milano.
***lstituto di Meccanica Applicata, Universit& di Pavia.
MA~CH 1971
imentally in a wind tunnel on an elastically suspended
cylinder, by measuring the increments and decrements of
the amplitudes, as a function of the characteristic magni-
tudes of the vibration and of the diameter of the cylinder.
Farquharson stated, however, that his expression of the
energy was valid only for amplitudes relating to a diam-
eter u / D of about 0.18 whereas in practice there are
vibrations with higher values for the u / D ratio.
The aim of this study was to determine the forces trans-
mitted by the blowing fluid to the cylinder in terms of the
characteristic magnitudes of the vibration for higher u / D
ratios, i. e. close to 1.
To arrive at this result we prepared in a wind tunnel test
a cylinder suspended elastically measuring the amplitudes
of vibration o f the cylinder and the force transmitted by
the fluid to the cylinder.
Collateral research was done on the fluid mechanics with
a view to analysing better the complexity of the phenom-
enon and, drawing also on work done by others, we
have tried to interpret its mechanism.
2. Description of the test apparatus.
The measuring apparatus consisted basically of the wind
tunnel, a device for making the cylinders vibrate equipped
with a dynamometric element, and instrumentation for
measuring the various quantities. We give hereunder a
description of the principal features of this testing equip-
ment.
2.1. Wind tunnel
The wind tunnel was of the open, low-velocity type
designed for measurements of this type with a velocity
range of 0 to 14 m/s.
The measuring section lay immediately after the entrance
cone and had a square section of 1 X 1 m.
The velocity of the air in the wind tunnel was measured
with a precalibrated reVolving-vane anemometer and a
hot-wire anemometer with a linearising device, calibrated
by the revolving-vane anemometer. Given the character-
istics of the instrumentation, we used the revolving-vane
anemometer for measuring the mean value of the speed
of the blowing fluid and the hot-wire anemometer for the
instantaneous value.
Account was taken of the effects of the test object (cyl-
inder and system of constraints) on the speed variation
in the measuring section by determining the relation be-
tween the speed indicated by the meters and the drag
9
coeffident set up by the cylinder. F r o m the measurement
o f drag, as will be described hereafter, we determined
the correction to be made in the speed in the measuring
section, the value of drag depending on the Reynolds
number being "known from the numerous experiments o f
other workers.
The correction thus made in the measured velocity,
once the ratios between measuring section and object
section had been established, proved to be small.
Since the wind tunnel was of the open type, after the
starting-up phase, there were small instabilities due to
recycling of the air, which we managed to reduce but not
eliminate. Consequently the tunnel had a turbulence level
below 1% for a period of the order of a minute in the
phase immediately after starting-up and became larger, ~" , L 1 o
attaining values o f around 3% during normal running.
The frequency of this turbulence is low- relative to the Fig. 1. - Cylinder in the wind tunnel (suspension device).
frequency of the vortices.
While the measuring system was being set up these
variations in turbulence were subjected to careful study that the system thus formed would be easy to excite and
to find out whether they were accompanied with any at the same time would act as a good mechanical filter for
variation in the phenomenon under consideration, i. e. frequencies other than those o f vibration. It was thus
any variation in the forces exchanged betaveen cylinder possible to obtain wind-induced vibrations that could be
and blowing fluid. It was observed that the value o f the considered purely sinusoidat.
force transmittedw as independent of the turbulence var- To comply with these exigencies and with others to
iations that occurred in the phase immediately after the be described hereafter, the cylinder was made up of the
starting-up o f the wind tunnel and ordinary running following parts:
conditions.
The turbulence measurements were taken with the hot- a) a metal bearing part A (Fig. 2) consisting o f tubular
wire anemometers, which were also used to check the elements suitably stiffened by spacers B;
velocity in the points of the measuring section, a value
that proved to be virtually constant.

2.2. Dynamometric c),linder.

It was exceedingly difficult to set up a vibrating cylinder

in the blowing fluid that would make it possible to meas-
ure the small forces (a few grams at most) that the blowing
fluid itself exerts on the cylinder. The diameter of the
various cylinders was between 30 and 100 mm and the
length 500 mm.
We thought at first of constraining the cylinder to a
vibrating table with a dynamometric device similar to the
one used by Bishop [4] [5] for his measurements in water.
But as in our case the forces were about 1/1000 o f Bishop's
whilst the dimensions and velocity of the fluid were the
same, the upper harmonics, even if very small, of the vi-
bration o f the electromagnetic vibrating table and the
inevitable small transients would have been sufficient to Fig. 2.
excite the own frequencies of the dynamometric apparatus,
introducing disturbances of such intensity relative to the
useful signal as to make it virtually impossible to take the b) dynamometric blades C (Figs. 2, 3), fitted with elec-
measurements. trical straingauges, rigidly constrained on one side to the
So we decided to excite the vibrations o f the cylinder by bearing structure and on the other to the envelope o f the
means of the forces transmitted by the blowing fluid to cylinder by means of hinges D in Fig. 3. These blades were
the cylinder. sensitive only to forces transmitted to hinge D in a di-
F o r this purpose we devised a vibrating system consist- rection perpendicular to the plane containing the blades
ing of the cylinder and springs constraining it at the and the axis of the hinge, since a straingange had been
ends (see Fig. 1). The cylinder was made very rigid so that placed on either side o f every blade. The four straingauges
the own frequencies corresponding to the deflected axes of the two blades were interconnected so as to form a
o f the structure of the cylinder would be decidedly higher thermally compensated Wheastone bridge. The position
than the frequencies corresponding to rigid translations o f the four straingauges in the bridge was chosen in such
o f the cylinder. Damping was kept as low as possible so a way that only the resultant o f the forces transmitted to

10 MECCANICA

Fig. 3.
the cylinder in the direction perpendicular to the blades
would be picked up;
c) cylinder envelope E (Fig. 4) made of balsa; its skele-
Fig. 4.'
ton F is seen in figures 2 and 3.
It should be noted that during the vibrations the blades
were subjected not only to the force transmitted by the
wind to the cylinder but also to the inertial forces of the
masses integral with the end of the blade where hinges D
were fixed. These masses therefore had to be as small as
possible. For this reason the envelope was made of balsa.
The bearing structure, not having any particular limits
of mass, could be made sufficiently rigid to comply with
the requirements stated eralier.
The own frequency of the system consisting of the blades
considered as springs and the mass of the envelope (parts
integral with hinges D) was chosen around 100 Hz so
that in the range of frequencies investigated (up to 20 Hz)
the coefficient of amplification of the dynamometer would
be constant and at the same time highly sensitive.
Even if the envelope was very light, the inertial forces
due to vibration were far greater than those due to the
air. So that the force transmitted by the air could be meas-
ured, the signal supplied by the dynamometer was de-
prived of the forces of inertia. For this purpose we sub-
tracted from the total signal a sinusoidal signal having
the same frequency as the vibration and the same intensity
as the forces of inertia by means of an operational differ-
entiator, thereby obtaining an output signal proportional
only to the forces transmitted by the fluid to the cylinder.
The practical difficulty of setting up a system thus con-
stituted is due to the fact that if we utilise as signal the
one coming out of a displacement pick up we run the
MARCH 1971
risk that small nonlinearities of the vibrating system,
which may slightly change the frequency of vibration
with the variation in amplitude, will be reproduced in a
different proportion according to the frequency and hence
to the amplitude between inertial force and displacement.
In this case therefore if the compensation is effective at
small amplitudes it might be poor at larger amplitudes.
We therefore used as signal the one coming from a
piezoelectric quartz accelerometer. The difficulty here was
that the electronic complex, especially at the low fre-
quencies with which we were concerned, involved phase
differences, even though very small ones, between entrance
(acceleration) and exit. We therefore had to correct the
phase of the signal, which proved to be very tricky but
which enabled us to obtain a compensation independent
of the amplitudes, even if the vibrating system was not
rigorously linear.
3. Instrumentation.
For measuring the forces we used a measurement bridge
of the Vibrometer (type 8 CFA-1/B) of high stability
connected to the extensimeter bridge of the dynamometric
element of the test cylinder. The signal leaving the bridge
was sent to an operational differentiator, as previously
described.
For measuring the velocity o f the blowing fluid in the
wind tunnel we used two DISA (type 55 D 01) hot-wire
anemometers with lineariser (type 55 D 10) and a vane
anemometer made by W. Lambrecht (type 1405).
For measuring the displacement of the vibrating cylinder
we used Philips (type PR 9310/01) inductance variation
pick up connected to a measurement bridge of the Vi-
brometer (type 8 MCA-PO-6/A).
For measuring the accelerations of the vibrating cylinder
we used Bruel & Kjaar piezoelectric quartz accelerometers
connected to Vibrometer charge amplifiers. All the var-
ious signals were visualised by oscilloscope and recorded
by a Honeywell (type 800) tape recorder.
To evaluate the forces that the fluid exerts on the cyl-
inder, by the procedure to be described later, for very
small vibration amplitudes or when the cylinder was
fixed, when the forces were not periodic but completely
random, a spectrum analysis was made with an analyzer
made by the Spectral Dynamics Co. (type SD 101 B with
SD 104 A-5). The same instrumentation was used for the
spectral analysis of the velocity in the wake, which exhibits
aleatory characteristics, especially for small amplitudes.
A Hewlett Packard (type 136A) X Y recorder was used
for determining the phases between force and displace-
ment of the cylinder, and a galvanometer recorder espe-
cially for measuring the increments and decrements of the
vibration amplitudes.
The testing equipment described above was used to
take the measurements reported hereunder.
4. Procedure and results o f the tests.
4.1. Measurement of drag coefficient.
The main purpose of this measurement was to determine
the corrections to be made in the wind velocity in the
measuring section. For this purpose we used the dyna-
11
mometric cylinders described above constrained inte-
grally to a fixed support so arranged that the wind di-
rection coincided with the direction of maximum sensitiv-
ity o f the dynamometer that is in the direction perpen-
dicular to the plane of the dynamometric blades (see 2.2).
By varying the wind velocity in the Reynolds number
range 2 - 10s+0.65- 10s and measuring the force im-
parted to the cylinder and the velocity, we obtained the
coefficient of resistance in terms of tbe Reynolds number.
We took as reference the CD curves quoted by Golde-
stein [10] and by comparing these with the ones obtained
we derived the correction to be made in the velocity
value supplied by the anemometers.
We also observed the value of the drag coefficient as
the vibration amplitudes varied in the synchronous range.
It was noted that as the amplitude increased, other things
being equal, the eD value increased. Fig. 5 shows by way
Co
G7
1 a similar trend, both as regards the force signal and as
t~r - f.t2ff
'.~ . ~.a
t5
00 0.1 02 03 0.4 05 (25 0,7
Fig. 5. - Drag coe~cient versus u/D for still and vibrating
cylinder.
of example the ratio between cD (when the cylinder was
vibrating) and cos (when the cylinder was fixed) with the
variation in the amplitude relative to the diameter u/D
in the case of $ = 96 mm and f = 6.15 Hz for various
values of r = V / V s where V is the velocity of the blowing
fluid and V, is defined by the Strouhal relation (see 4.2).
4.2. ACeasurementof the Slrouhal ,mtJtber.
By the Strouhal number cs we mean the constant relating
the shedding frequency of the vortices, and hence the
frequency of the alternating force transmitted to the
cylinder, to the velocity and dimensions of the cylinder
in fixed cylinder conditions.
V
f= c,- --~-.
To determine this constant it is necessary to determine
not only the velocity of the blowing fluid in the meas-
uring section but also the shedding frequency of the
vortices or of the force transmitted. For this purpose the
signals coming from the dynamometer of the cylinder and
from a hot-wire anemometer located in the wake of the
cylinder were analysed with an oscilloscope and a recorder.
Both signals presented an aleatory characteristic when
the cylinder was fixed. To classify the characteristics of
12
the signals under consideration a spectral analysis was
made by means of a harmonic analyzer (See. 3) and curves
were obtained as a function of the frequency; Fig. 6 shows,
rf~]
RM5
1
~75
050
Q25
2 4 6 8 !0 12 14. Hz
Fig. 6. - Spectrum of the force transmitted to the cylinder
due to vortex shedding.
by way of example, the trend of the curves in the case of
a cylinder of diameter $ 60 mm for the force signal. All
the curves obtained from the spectral analysis exhibited
regards the velocity signal supplied by the anemometer.
The shedding frequency of the vortices or of the force
was determined at a point corresponding to the peak of
the curve obtained; later we shall refer to this value as
Strouhal frequencyJ~ and the corresponding velocity as Vs.
The frequency of the force and of the vortices was
always the same when the fluid velocity was kept constant.
U~O Further, it was found that tiny vibrations present in
the cylinder bearing structure, if at frequencies not very
distant from f i , could make the f l value obtained by
spectral analysis slip quite appreciably. This tallies with
the findings of other researchers who have succeeded
in modifying the J~ with vibrations obtained in the wind
tunnel by means of loudspeakers.
Great care had therefore to be exercised in constraining
the cylinder rigidly and in checking that the f, value was
independent of the particular constraint conditions.
The Cs value thus found was _ 0.19 for the cylinders
we examined, in good agreement with the values found
by other workers.
When the cylinder vibrates in the synchronous range
Eq. (1) no longer holds good, since the shedding frequency
of the vortices is equal to that of the vibration, irrespective
of the velocity.
4.3. ~¢easurement of the velodty upstream and downstream of
lbe o,linder.
(1) Before placing the cylinder in the measuring section, the
velocity was investigated with a hot-wire anemometer
in the various points of the measuring section and, apart
from points very close to the walls of the wind tunnel,
no appreciable variation either in vertical or horizontal
velocity was obtained.
After the cylinder had been placed in the measuring
section the velocity range of the blowing fluid was meas-
ured immediately above the cylinder along its axis.
Fig. 7 gives the velocity range in a plane parallel to the
blowing fluid and containing the cylinder axis. It will be
MECCANICA

Fig. 7.
noted that the effect of the end sections of the cylinder
began to be felt at a distance of about 5 cm from the ends.
We also evaluated the trend of the wake velocity in
order to measure the velocity o f the train of vortices
breaking away from the cylinder. F o r this purpose t w o
hot-wire anemometers were placed one after the other,
at different intervals, so that a given vortex would reach
the two anemometers at different times.
F r o m the measurement of the phase difference between
the two signals supplied by the anemometers we were
able to obtain the wake velocity.
This measurement proved to be very laborious at low
amplitudes, where the signals were aleatory and presented
no well-defined periodic characteristic. As the vibration
amplitudes increased, as for the force transmitted to the
cylinder, the trend of the wake velocity assumed a pe-
riodic characteristic (Fig. 8); hence only above certain
J 96~ f = 5.35 Hz r . 1.00
uto 0.03 u/~ 0.11 Ulo 0.16
Fig. 8. - Records of the output o f the hot-wire anemometer
in the wake as a function of u/D (amplitude of vibration/cyl-
inder diameter) (curves b. c. records of hot wire anemometers
in wake, curve a record of displacement).
vibration frequency the wind velocity was varied in the
neighborhood o f the corresponding V= until the whole
zone for which vibrations of the cylinder were observed
at that frequency had been explored. That is to say the
range for which vibration and vortices were synchronous.
This range is defined by the value of the V/V= ratio
which we equate with r.
For every case examined, that is for every cylinder,
frequency and r, tests were done starting with the cyl-
inder still, recording the various quantities under study
during the increment o f the amplitudes at constant wind
velocity.
In this way we obtained the force values at a given
velocity V as the amplitudes varied.
A t every test the fluid in the wind tunnel was stopped
for a check to ensure that during the decrement of the
vibration amplitudes, the compensation of the forces o f
inertia was correct.
The range o f synchronism previously defined was more
or less extensive, within limits, according to the damping
of the system, and it extended to the maximum limit de-
marcated solely by the fluidelastic phenomenon for little
or no damping. During the tests we therefore examined
vibrating systems having more or less high damping
characteristics, To investigate the dependence of the
damping phenomenon we deliberately increased it in
some cases by putting wings on the vibrating structure
to simulate aerodynamic damping.
As elastic supports for the cylinder we used flexural
springs (Fig. 1) and to obtain very high amplitudes and
low damping we used the elastic return o f a harmonic
steel wire stretched between two supports in such a way
that the tension would vary little with the variation in
amplitude (Fig. 7).
It was at once noted that the trend of the force when
uto 0.25
% . 0.5 ~ . 0.5 I

u/D diameters was it possible to evaluate the slipstream

velocity.
It was observed that as the amplitudes increased, espe-
cially for V~ V, = r > 1, there was an increase in mean
wake velocity. The values for the ratios of mean wake
velocity to the velocity of the undisturbed fluid approached
the theoretical values for fairly large u/D diameters.
i
4.4. Measurement of the forces transmitted to the o,linder.
This measurement was o f course the main purpose of
this study and so special care was devoted to it. T w o sim-
ilar dynamometric cylinders, described in detail in Sec. 2.2,
o f diameter $1----60 m m and ~ = 9 6 mm and both
500 mm in length were used.
The lift forces due to vortex shedding were measured
on these cylinders, both when they were fixed and vi- Gu . 6 ~lc= # .90~ f .5.SHz
r = 1.1
brating on an elastic system. . 10 otcm

F o r both the cylinders force measurements were taken

for frequencies between 5 ,~.nd 15 Hz, with a suitable Fig. 9. - Force transmitted to the cylinder (curve F ) and
choice of elastic properties of the system. For every chosen displacement (curve u) impressed as function of time.

MARCH 1971 13
the cylinder was fixed or for very low vibration ampli- chandeg little. Contrariwise, as r varied in the synchronous
tudes exhibited aleatory characteristics and so the force range a considerable phase variation was noted.
was measured by means of spectral analysis as described Fig. 9 shows an example of force and displacement
in Sec. 3.1. recordings for the case of cylinder with ~ = 96 m m for
As the amplitudes increased the force took on a vir- several vibration amplitudes, obtained on an X Y recorder
tually periodic characteristic in which the fundamental (Sec. 3) after the signals had been recorded on magnetic
harmonic corresponding to the vibration frequency pre- tape and played back at a lower speed so that they could
vailed. F o r this reason direct measurements were taken, be sent to the stylus recorder x, J', t.
assuming the force to be sinusoidal and hence determinable Figures 10 and 11 give an example, for diameter ~b = 96
by means o f its amplitude F 0 , its frequency and phase mm and frequency f = 6.7 Hz, with a smaller time scale,
relating to the displacement o f the cylinder. It was observed of the force and displacement recordings during the in-
that there was a considerable variation in the amplitude crement transient o f the vibration amplitudes for several
o f the force transmitted by the fluid to the cylinder as the values of r. Fig. 12 gives similar diagrams for ~ = 60 mm
vibration amplitude varied for a given r whereas the phase and frequency f = 10.5 Hz.

Cyhnder ~ 95 f = ~,7 HZ

. o.1 ~. o 5 ;I' ~ "

I ; iihljll /il/ll]l 1

"'""i'ii ;:;: ........ ."'llltlii'ill;;iltiil

llllltlli ~l~r'i!':I,l~~!i'r,,.::IWtim~]it~ll tittil i ttIti tli ilil litI
G~. o.+ !i,, G.,. o.~ ,,,,l,ltlllliflttt m~

I I

~ il,~i t I 'i,,ll
GF, 0.5 G_ i',
a~.o.l i ~11 ,~ i il
r. 1.o~3 t,,i.~il ..... ,1%1!': ,;' : :L. I t111!11!1!1t lllltt

F ' ':i ,,
~r. 0.5 ~
GF ~ L~ I . I~ ]' I I

• ,,~,~ .',.,iiJ " ~ ,,hE'.!! L!! ti LI li

~-wn*"'~lu~,~nILtIJ""~ .... ~"' ' " ' ' .... t j II ~*' ': ': :'!i'~ ~ I. ,I,,!
u tWli~.~ffl-!rtt-y)l~,fli~ll~,,.~,:~;, , .. - ',, , . , ~:t r;' ,. ,[~'tl~;
~,..:~ ' :,I • : ':' : ', i'i:,: t, ~
_ II ! ~I llljl > ,,~, ~ Ip:
, , ,llllHtll I i :1' i~ ~ ~ llit:tll~ :llj { ii ~: ; , "i " h '

' "!hti~ ' , '"'"i~lllti i' ' ": i~ Ill I i

~,o.1 'Ht,, ~. , o5. 'lII!lliiijl
I t c,

Fig. 10. - Force transmitted to the cylinder (curve E) and displacement impressed (curve tl) for different value of r during the
build up of vibrations.

14 MECCANICA
 Cytlt~der q~ 9 5 f . 6+7 Hz
J. ; . g

r :+ . ).;.,:~ )+..
: +, , ,+
+. o.~ m. ,',++ a~ +. +

i ~,l~l~
+ t ,~ ~
F i•' '4'1'"~ : f+{:'~ :!,,'' '+'-"' +-

l, ~,,,~7+,,,,i+,~,,,,,,,.,, ............. ,,,,,...... ......... ;:,...,.., .,,,., +,..,,,,,,, ,,,!:,, ,, ,,, ,+m++~++~,m+mm+mm+~!+lJ!t~!+~I!!'+tttI+!lL .-i
I- r ~ ~ ' . _. ?~?'~"+"~''~'~'~'+.'~+~m+'t++~+'~'++b~+~'+'+m~:+`m'+m+P~+++~+~+'~+~M~+t+ h++~+~+++
+Mi~+++MI+~P,~iM+++++I+~ii+~++
+t++~+;I+M+,~+1]I+++
" t ~ . ' : +-
+..;+,~+
-:'-
....
" . . .
. . . . . . . '"'"'"mllll|llllffili+!,;i l lllli! , l l l I l t
:
;
~+

F ,~i.,!+.,,;'. L ? ~ , ' ~ [ I .•- ' ; ' i . + :

,~ . . a~ . o ~ a~

tll~ltlll'[tll!ltll~
++, ,+++,++++++,
.............
,
,, .... ,
,++,,,,
,,,~,.+.,,"+' ", . !
. . . . . .
".' 4 .
,
.....~+.,!~ "'"'
: . ~ . ~,~ w:.~',!!,,'!!~'!~ "'
,, ,,
~:.l,'-41!!t,~:!!t! ,!~f,
, + +
l,llllllll#hllll/,[l[l}l!l~lI ........... +........... m,,+{:,,,,ul,q,.,l+i++iltillllt:ii+:.+++.+' ' ~ ................... '+,"m+.,,,lh.h,,il+,,,u,+lllllll
a.. o.e

Fig. 11. - Force transmitted to the cylinder (curve E ) and displacement impressed (curve tt) for different value o f r during the
build up o f vibrations.

Cylznder ~ 60 F . ~05 ~z

F ~ 4 ~ .~, ~"

Fig. 12. - Force transmitted to the cylinder (curve E ) and displacement impressed (curve u) for different value o f r during the
build up o f vibrations.

MARCH 1971 15
 From the measurement of amplitude F0 of the force
depending on displacement u of the cylinder, of which
only a few examples have been given, we obtained the
values for the lift coefficient Cz defined by the relation
1
Fo = T
where F0 is the amplitude of the force transmitted to the
cylinder previously defined, 0 is the air density and D
and L are the cylinder length and diameter. The CL val-
ues were expressed as functions of u / D , viz. of the ratio
between vibration amplitude and diameter.
It was observed that, regardless of the cylinder diameter
and of the vibration frequencies, for Reynolds numbers
in the range 2 • 10s to 6 • 10a, the C~ values were, for
equal u / D values, virtually coincident once the value of
r = V / V , had been established. Similarly the phase angle
was uniquely determined as a function of u / D and r.
It should be noted that the C~ values proved to be in-
dependent of the characteristics of the vibrating system
made up of the cylinder and suspension springs with the
variation in their rigidity and damping, as previously
t~
t2 - - - -
to
o~
described. It was therefore possible to obtain the diagram
of figure 13 for CL and ~0 as functions of u / D for several
r values.
In effect, the figure shows the value we shall call C~r
defined by the relation
o~ D L v ~ C ~
1
Fo = ~ e D L V ~ . C~r (2)
in which
CLr ~ Ct, " t .2
where the parameter r defines the wind velocity variations
in the synchronous field. In figure 13 the C~r value for
u / D = 0 was obtained from spectral analysis, as previously
stated, and marked with an asterisk.
We preferred to use the CLr value rather than the CL
value because, once a given vibration frequency is estab-
lished, F0 comes to depend through relation (2) on C ~ ,
a given function of u / D and of r.
4.5. Measurement of the energy introduced by the wind.
At the same time as we obtained the force measurement
with the two dynamometric cylinders, we obtained the
values for the energy introduced by the wind by two
methods, (a) and (b).
Method (a) consists in determining the energy on the
basis of the amplitude of force F0, the angle of phase
difference ~0 with the displacement u, knowing that the
energy dissipated per cycle is expressed by

E = zeFou sin ~o . (3)

°° //// , {
•v/ ~ ,,, ,. ,o¢,sI Method (b) is the one used by Farquharson [9] and
o, F - - f ~ I ~-
I I I consists in measuring the energy introduced on the basis
of the displacement in the phase of the build up of vi-
I i~..oe~ ' "-
(7
o2 \:, o;:'"o.!. !. !o brations at constant velocity p and in the decay in the
absence of wind. By adding the variation in kinetic energy
Fig. 13. - Lift coefficient as function of u/D (amplitude of between one cycle and the next (curve 2 in figure 14)
vibration/cylinder diameter), for different value of r. in the build up to that one in the decay(curve I in figure 14)

,~ r n t E
c[cle
Ell~rider ¢ 9tram f . 5.1 Nz
~0 -~ ~_
77 - 3-: ICT. "-~.T .~ ~ - -

10-,~

~o~i..i. . . . . .
'?
~--:.~_
. . . .
energy
. . .
~ntrcduced
energy ~ntroduced
. . . . . . . . . .
by fhe
by the
. . . . .
wtnd
wfnd
. . . . . . . . . .
computed w~th the rne¢hc~(aj
.

computed w#h the m e t h o d ( D j

. . . . . t

........ -~ ~ " ' . . . . . . (~ " variation o;' k/nehc energy in the budd up of ~he v,brahon J

10 "~

15
0
u.,0

Fig. 14. - Energy input from the wind, computed with the force method (curve a) and the build up and decay of vibration (curve b).

16 MECCANICA
at the same amplitude, we get the energy introduced
by the wind. For the cases examined the values obtained
by the two methods were in good agreement. See, for
example, continued and dotted curve in figure 14 in the
case o f a cylinder with ~ = 96 mm and vibration fre-
quency f = 5.1 Hz.
Since method (b) is far less laborious and presents fewer
o f figure 13, were borne out by the comparison o f the
energy measurements taken by methods (a) and (b) o f
Sec. 4.5, of which Fig. 14 gives an example.
Further, the energy measurements taken with our meas-
uring apparatus are in good agreement with those taken
by Farquharson [9] in another wind tunnel, thus showing
that the specific .test conditions, especially as regards

Watt/m l

t0.0."

50 @
i

10 / /
,c/
5

1.0
////
,,,,
(~). Farquharson
~j . ¢= g6 mrn f .5.1 Hz
Ill
(~ . ~.g6mrn f .5.38Hz
0.5 [~['

0,1
0
f 0.1 0.2 03 0.4
(~ = envelqoe

0,5 06
38.5
48.5
61

0.7
f , 4 +14Mz

0.8
_

09

Fig. 15. - Maximum power introduced by the wind for the a various cylinders indicated in the figure [(IV (Watt), f (Hz) D (meter)].
10 u/o

difficulties than method (a), to evaluate indirectly the

validity of the force and phase measurements carried
out, we measured the energy introduced by the wind
for several cylinders and several frequencies using
method (b).
~e
Fig. 15 shows the maximum power introduced by the
wind for the various cylinders indicated, tested in the
5-20 Hz frequency range.
Taking Farquharson's expression as a model, in the
diagram of Fig. 15 we have placed on the ordinate the
value of function llT/f3D 4, where f is the frequency, D
the diameter and If7 the mean power measured per unit
length, and the u / D value on the abscissa.
It Should be remembered that the power value 117 was
taken by Farquharson to be half of that measured on a
translating cylinder to allow for the inflection that a stranded
cable assumes when it vibrates. This allowance is valid
as long as the power IV is a parabolic function of u / D
and as long as the deflection axis is sinusoidal.
Figure 16 shows for comparison the curve obtained
by Farquharson and half of the energy obtained for and
envelope of the maximum energy for the cases of figure 15.

5. Analysis of the results.

The results reported illustrate the following fundamental

points.

5.1. Reliabili O, of the force altd phase measurements.

'~ 1.10-2. 10 "1 I u/o
The results of the force and phase measurements, and Fig. 16. - Maximum power introduced by the wind obtained
hence o f the curve o f CLr and ~0 as a function o f u / D by this research compared with the Farquharson's results.

MARCH 1971 17
the value of the turbulence, do not affect the validity the increase in the amplitudes with a small percent increase.
o f the results. F o r these workers the characteristic of the phenomenon
Farquharson showed, inter alia, that the differences in remains unchanged with the geometric ratios of the wake
energy were small both for smooth cylinders and for satisfying its stability conditions.
cylinders with a surface similar to that of a transmission On the other hand, it was observed that the lift force
line [9]. starts from very low values for small vibration amplitudes
The agreement of the values we measured with the and rises considerably with a very high percent variation.
expression supplied by Farquharson may be summed up The increase in the force is not explained by the variation
as follows. in the amplitude of the wake depending on the increase in
The energy introduced by the wind in a cycle is u/D, as others [6] [15] think; in our view, it depends on
a change in the phenomenon as the amplitude increases.
E = zrFou sin q~ That is to say, at zero or small amplitudes a marked vorti-
city is distributed over the slipstream with a low vortex
and so for relation (2)
force. A t these amplitudes the phenomenon is not two-
o
dimensional but three-dimensional with random character-
JE = -~- e D L V~CI.m sin q~ istics. Consequently the lift force is low. It is not until
the amplitudes increase relative to the diameter that the
on the basis of the CL~ diagrams shown in figure 13 the phenomenon loses its random nature, the wake becomes
maximum C,.r value irrespective of r for u/D values in two-dimensional, the distributed vorticity diminishes, the
the 0-0.3 range may be represented with sufficient approxi- vortex force increases and hence the lift force. Thus the
mation by the relation phenomenon changes nature as the amplitudes increase
and only for sufficiently high values of the u/D ratio do
u
CL~ = 4 . 5 - - . we have a slipstream configuration that approaches the
D theoretical one with vortex and lift forces close to those
obtained theoretically [10] [6].
The mean power IV,,, per unit length in a period or in
This point has been tested by Koppmann [7], who
a very long time is
photographed the slipstream and found that only above
aS certain amplitudes does the slipstream change from three-
w,,, = -L-" f dimensional to two-dimensional.
This is demonstrated by the measurement of the force
where f is the vibration frequency. transmitted from the fluid to the cylinder and by the
Thus substituting in the power expression the velocity slipstream velocity, which has a random character at low
value obtained from amplitudes and acquires a given periodic characteristic
v, above a given amplitude. At this point the slipstream ve-
f= 0.2 --D-- locity assumes a value very close to the undisturbed fluid,
and near to the theoretical values reported in the liter-
and observing that for such u/D values the maximum ature [11].
value of CLr (Fig. 13) corresponds to ~p = 90 ° we have: This, however, does not explain why the force, above
certain amplitudes, as seen in figure 13, having attained
x n / D f \ 2 4 . 5 u u f .9.81 an upper limit, begins to decrease. _An attempt was then
w., = 5 - ~ " k-0-5-) - b - made to account for this fact (see Sec. 6) by analysing
the fluid mechanical phenomenon.
and hence
II:"m ( ,', )= Watt/m 5.3. Trend of the phase betweenforce and displacement.
" D4J
-~g= 225 \ D [ m4cps. 3 ]
The trend of the phase, between the force acting on
which confirms Farquharson's finding, i. e. that W,,,/Daf a the cylinder and the cylinder displacement, in the synchro-
is a parabolic function of (u/D) for small vibration am- nous field, or as r varies, tallies with what other researchers
plitudes. [4] [5] [6] have found. It seems indeed that it is the greater
stability of the vortices in the wake that is obtained with
certain ratios between distances and vortices that pilots
5.2. Trend of the force as a funaion of u/D.
the breakaway phase of the vortices with respect to the
The results of this study have shown that in the Rey- displacement.
nolds range investigated and in air the trend of the ampli- When the cylinder vibrates, the width of the wake
tude of the force transmitted as a function of u/D has depends on the instant at which a vortex breaks away
a trend rising from virtually zero almost linearly to reach from the cylinder. I f the vortex breaks away above, when
a maximum. upward displacement is at its maximum, we get the max-
This result is at variance with what other workers imum width of the wake; contrariwise, we get the min-
have sustained on theoretical grounds; according to them, imum when the vortex breaks away below the cylinder
for example [15] [6], the force assumes a high value when the upward displacement is at its maximum. This
even for zero amplitudes. For these workers, from a involves a 180o variation in the phase difference between
constant value for u/D = 0 the force rises proportionally force and displacement as the wake widness varies from
to the increase in the width of the slipstream and thus to the maximum to the minimum.

t8 MECCANICA
 As for r > 1 the distance b between two successive vor-
tices has to be increased in a direction parallel to the di-
rection of the fluid, to keep the frequency constant (the
velocity .having increased), it will also be necessary to
increase distance a between two vortices in a direction
perpendicular to the fluid in order to maintain the ratio
a/b = const. And so the phase will vary between 900 - NN\
and 180 ° for r > 1 and from 90 ° to 0 o for r < 1.

5.4. Synchronous rallge. NN

In addition to confirming the existence o f the range o f
synchronism (between cylinder vibration, per se constant,
and shedding o f the vortices), pointed out by other re-
searchers, the tests highlights the fact that this range is
more extensive for r > 1 than for r < 1.
Indeed values of r = 1.3+ 1.4 were found with energy Fig. 17
introduced by the wind still positive, whereas the lower
limit was r = 0.87. The modulus o f v=

5.5 Energy introduced by the wind.

+,5 (4)
It was observed that for low amplitudes the maximum
energy values are obtained for r + 1, whereas for increasing and since
amplitudes these values increased up to r + 1.2 and then
w = 2 7 r / = 2~z0.2 v8
began to diminish. D (5)
The energy curves for high r values are thus character-
ised by low energy values at low amplitudes and high the component according to x o f ft, is equal to
energy values at large amplitudes. We thus have an in-
crement transient, for r > 1 characterised, as shown in U0
figures 11, 12 and 13, by an abrupt increase in energy :$ = u0oJ cos cot = ~ . 1.26 • v, cos ost (6)
.u
for fairly high vibration amplitude values. This means
that the phenomenon is difficult to start up if r > 1 but and remembering that r = v/v, and putting relation (6)
easy to start up if r ~ 1 for low amplitudes and will be in (4) we have
magnified if there is a subsequent increase in r (increase
in wind velocity or a decrease in vibration frequency) as the
-
amplitude increases. Ira] = v cos 2 ost (7)
The fact that the phenomenon does not start up spon-
taneously, that is there are no vibrations, at the limits of -+

the synchronous range, that is according to the results and the maximum value of Iva] is
o f the tests for r ~< 0.87 to r 1> 1.37, is explained by the
very low value that the energy assumes being the phase
close to 0 or to 180 ° . ,;,to-=,
The value o f the modulus o f velocity v always remains
6. Interpretation of the f l u i d - m e c h a n i c a l p h e n o m e n o n . above the velocity of the undisturbed fluid and so its
mean value v,m in a period is ahvays greater than v.
A n attempt was made to explain the fact that the force The angte ~p that va forms with axis y (Fig. 17) is
transmitted by the fluid tends to decrease for high u/D
values (u/D > 0.6) (Fig. 13). This trend is explained by tto 1.26 t)
the following considerations. ~0 = arctg D r cos co (8)
Observing a vibrating cylinder with displacement u = u0
sin cot in a blowing fluid moving at a velocity v is equiv- and the maximum value of lp is
alent to observing a cylinder that moves in a fluid at
rest describing a sinusoidal trajectory. The velocity va ~pmo,= arctg ( ~ - I~26).
of the cylinder, seen in these terms, will have a component
v according to direction y (Fig. 17) and a component x
Force F= to which the cylinder is subjected as a result
according to direction x with x = u0 cos oot; it follows of the action of the fluid in direction x is the sum of the
that the absolute velocity va of the cylinder varies from c o m p o n e n t s o f the force o f resistance F,. and of lift force
instant to instant and is expressed by FL due to v,. That is:

?.=7+7. F~ = FL cos ~p- - F~ sin ~p. (9)

MARCH 1971 19
 These lift and resistance forces that act on the cylinder,
due to the relative motion between cylinder and fluid,
depend upon v~ and hence also upon the frequency and
amplitude of the vibration. Assuming for them an expres-
sion o f the type
F~ = -E--eDLC"JV~lm sin (oat + ~)
(lO)
= o D L C , I,.I;.
Q
IGI
where l~Im denotes the mean value o f and o~ the
vortex shedding frequency and ~-the phase between the
vertical component of displacement o f the cylinder and
the force, assumed to be sinusoidal, transmitted by the
fluid to the cylinder in a direction normal to the direction
of ~a •
Assuming for CL and Cr the values Cx. and Cr obtained
for a cylinde~ moving in straight-line motion in a fluid
at rest (or vice versa), we may write
& = 1.1 (11)
a value confirmed by many workers.
Referring to the experiments of Rensko, one of the
most authoritative writers on the subject, the circulation
due to a slipstream vortex o f a cylinder is, as reported also
by [6], equal to
1 ' = 2.1 V D (12)
and the force arising as a result of the formation o f a
vortex is
F = oL V I ' . (13)
The subsequent vortex, which goes the opposite way,
on coming into being sets up a force going the opposite
way, which first counters and then reverses the force
set up by the previous vortex. The force transmitted to
the cylinder, if supposed to be sinusoidal, will thus have
an amplitude equal to ½. F and hence
CL = 2.1. (14)
This value is sufficiently close to that found by Steinman,
viz. 1.7, but is very different from the CL value of 6.6
found by Di Silvio.
The CL assumed, for the reasons previously stated, is
for us the limit value reached when the phenomenon is
two-dimensional and hence is valid only above certain
vibration amplitudes relating to the diameter o f the cylinder.
To take this fact into account we assumed for ~ . a var-
iable expression depending on u/D of the type repre-
sented in figure 18, which only for u/D > 0.6 reaches the
maximum value of 2.1 a n d is virtually, zero foru/D. = O.
To phase ~p we attributed the value that is obtained by
assuming greater stability of the slipstream, that is we
assumed the expression
1--r
-
cos ~0 u/D const (15)
20
q
2.
..... j
o o2 64 ols 68 i u/o
Fig. 18. - Value of eL versus tt/D assumed in the computations.
also reported by other workers (1).
The Fx value that appears in Eq. (9) was obtained,
taking account of the assumptions stated here, by a digital
computer program.
F r o m the force value obtained, variable periodically
with a period equal to that of the vibration, we obtained
the fundamental harmonic (which differs little from the
periodic function) assessed by the value o f the amplitude
F0 and of the relative phase ~0 to the cylinder displacement.
It is possible to compare the values thus obtained from
the calculation of the amplitude and force phase with
those obtained from the experimental tests.
Fig. 19 shows the curves of CLr obtained by this method;
they are to be compared with those o f figure 13.
We would emphasise that these curves have a similar
trend to that o f the experimental curves, especially for
the value of Cl,r which has the characteristic o f decreasing
above certain amplitudes.
This fact is explained in the schema we adopted as
follows: the force of resistance has a component that is
ahvays passive in the direction of the vertical motion of
the cylinder and so it diminishes the effect of the lift forces
and also varies the angle between the force in the direction
of the motion and displacement, making it tend to 0 o
or to 180 ° for very high amplitudes.
In energy terms, above certain amplitudes the energy
introduced by the alternative force, whose frequency is
equal to the vibration frequency, due to the shedding
of the vortices, ends by being cancelled out by the energy
dissipated by the force of resistance and so its is not pos-
sible to have natural vibrations in a vibrating cylinder
above certain amplitudes, regardless o f its damping, when
it is in a blowing fluid.
According to this theory, the resisting force in the
direction o f the undisturbed fluid, i. e. in direction j in
figure 17, would not be constant for a given v but would
depend on u/D. Indeed, if the mean velocity l~i,, is
increased as u/D increases, the force in direction 3, in-
creases and furthermore the force due to the shedding
of vortices also contributes to the increase in the mean
value of the resistant force, especially for angles close to 90 ° .
(1) This expression is not representative of the phenomenon
for u/D-+ 0; in the range u/D< 0.1 we assumed for 9 the
value obtained from the xepression for u/D = 0.1.
MECC~,NICA
 CLr
20

~8

1.6
r ,I,2 !
l.Z~ , , , .... I

1.2
D

180"

150"

120"

gO" II ~ ///I ~.~ -"qC'~-. ! " . ! ~'.

///
60"

3o"

ff
0 0.1 02 03 0.4 05 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 tl u/o

Fig. 19. - Value of Crr obtained by computation.

This agrees with the experimental finding according to
which Co increases as tl/D increases as may be observ-
ed in fig. 5.
From the force and phase values thus obtained as func-
tions of u/D it is possible to determine, by means of re-
lation (3), for every value of r the value of the energy
introduced by the wind according to the calculation meth-
od used.
Fig, 20 gives the curves of the introduced power IF"
as a function of . / D for several r values. These curves
confirm the experimental fact assumed, namely that the
values of maximum energy introduced occur at small
amplitudes for r _~ I and at large amplitudes for r > 1.
For comparative purposes this figure also shows the de-
velopment of the experimental power introduced curve
already shown in figure 15.

5O

10

5 .,9.65'///

1
////
0 Q2 0/-.,, 06 0.8 1.0 1.2 t¢ u/o

Fig. 20. - Power introduced by the wind as function of #/D for different values of r obtained by computation.

MARCH 1971 21
7. Conclusions.
F r o m an analysis o f the results obtained and from the
research done during the experimental tests described here,
and compared with the results of other studies, we may
draw the following conclusions:
a) The existence o f a synchronous range for which
the shedding frequency of the vortices is that of the vi-
bration even for wind velocities other than that given
by the formula
D/
ps~
C,~
where D is the diameter, f the frequency and Cst the
Strouhal constant, which is roughly equal to 0.2, is once
again confirmed. It is shown that this range is extended
for velocities 2 5 + 3 0 % above and below re. This study
shows that the range for which the energy introduced
by the wind is positive lies between circa 0,83 and circa
1.37 of the ratio v/vs, and is more extensive for v/v, > 1.
b) The energy introduced by the wind is greatest at
small ampLitudes for v/v~ ~ 1. As the amplitudes increase
the value o f v/v6 for which we have maximum introduction
o f energy increases. Hence, given a vibrating cylinder,
it is easier to start up the phenomenon for v/v~ ~ 1 whilst
the maximum vibration ampLitudes occur for v/v, > 1.
REFERENCES
[1] G. DIANA, SMla eccitazione per effetto de/vento delle vibrazio-
ni dei conduttori tesati, fast, 10, Vol. XLV, 1968.
[2] CL~,REN,DIANA, Vibrazioni trasversali di un conduttore te-
saIo, <<L'Energia Elettrica >>, fast. 10, Vol. XLIII, 1966.
Ammortizzatore di vibrazioui a due gradi di libertb tipo Sto-
ckbridge, <~L'Energia Elettrica>>,fasc. 11, Vol. XLIII, 1966.
Vibrazioui tratversali di un conduttore tesato con ammortiz-
zator:; <<L'Energia Elettrica >>,fast. 12, Vol. XLIII, 1966.
Ottimizzazione di mt ammortizzatore di vibra.~ioniper condut-
tori t.'sati, ~<L'Energia Elettrica >>, fasc. 5, VoL XLIV,
1967.
[3] R. CLAREN, G. DIANA, Vibrazioni dei conduttori, solleci-
tazioni dinamiche agenti sui conduttori dovttle a Vibrazioni
trasversali, fast 11, Vol. XLV, 1968.
[4] BISHOp,HASSAN, Tbe lift and drag forces on a circular o,liu-
d,r in a flowing fluid, <<Proc. Roy, Soc. A >>, Vol. 277, 1963.
[5] BISHOP,HASSA~, Th: lift and drag forces on a circular o,liu-
der ouillating in a flowing fluid, <<Proc. Roy. Soc. A >>,
Vol. 277, 1963.
[6] D~ SILvro, Sdf-contratted vibration of cylinder in fluid stream,
<<Procedings of the American Society of Civil Engineers >>,
April 1969.
22
c) The force transmitted by the wind to cylinder is
small with random characteristic for small amplitudes o f
vibrations.
When the amplitudes o f vibrations are increasing the
phenomenon is no more random, the wake become bidi-
mensional and the force increases and assumes periodic
characteristics.
to The experimental fact that as ./D increases, for
u / D > 0.4+0.5, the force transmitted to the cylinder by
the fluid does not increase but, on the contrary, tends to
decrease may be explained in terms o f a theory developed
in this paper, namely: owing to the relative motion between
cylinder and blowing fluid, the force o f aerodynamic re-
sistance diminishes the force due to the shedding of the
vortices to the point of abolishing it for u / D ~ 1. The
upshot o f this is an important deduction, viz. that the
vibrations o f a body with a cylindrical section in a fluid
that sets it vibrating cannot, whatever the damping,
attain vibration amplitudes o f much over u / D ~ 1. This
deduction is worth further experimental investigation.
A c k n o w l e d g m e n t : The authors gratefully acknowledge the
assistance of Prof. Dote. Ing. Emilio Massa director of the
Istim/o di Mecca#ica Applicata of the Pob,technic University
of Milano.
Received 2 December 1970.
[7] KOOPMAN, The vortex waves of vibratiug cylinders at low
Reynolds numbers, <<Journal of fluid mechanics >>, volume
28, Part 3, 26 may 1967.
[8] LIENHARD,Synopsis of lift, drag and vortex frequency data
for rigid circular cyliuders, <<Bulletin 300 >>, Washington
State University, College of Engineering, Research Di-
vision.
[9] FARQUHARSON,~'[C HUGH, Wind tunnel inv,.stigation of
conduaor vibratiou with use of rigid models, <<A.I.E.E. Trans-
actions >>, Vol. 75, October 1956.
[10] GOLDSTEtN,A:Iodern developments iu fluid dytamics, Vol. II,
<<Oxford Press >>, London 1938.
[11] RICHARDSON, Dynamics of real fluid, Edward Arnold
e Co, London.
[12] ROSHKO, On tbe development of turbolent waves from vortex
streets, <<NACA TN >>, 2913, 1953.
[13] Rosvmo, On the development of mrbolent waves from vortex
areas, <<NACA Report >>, 1i91, 1954.
[14] ROSHKO,Experimeuts on the flow past a circMar cyliuder at
very high Reynolds number, <<Journal Fluid Mechafiics >>,
Vol. 10, 1961.
[15] ST~IlVIAN,Suspension bridges: the aerodytamic problem and
its solution, International Association for Bridge and
Structural Engineering.
MECCANIGA