Eigen-analysis of an inviscid channel flow with a finite flexible plate in one wall

Abstract

A state-space method is used to investigate the surface instabilities of a flexible plate comprising one wall of an inviscid channel flow computationally modelled with a finite-difference method coupled with a boundary-element method. Simple elastic and spring-backed plates are considered and in both cases it is found that reducing the height of the channel causes divergence and modalcoalescence to occur at lower flow velocities. An analytical prediction for an infinitely long plate is also developed and the divergence-onset predictions are compared with those obtained by the state-space method for a spring-backed plate.