Fluid-Structure Interaction Effects on the Propulsion of an Flexible Composite Monofin

Abstract

Finite element method has been used to analyze the propulsive efficiency of a swimming fin. Fluid-structure interaction model can be used to study the effects of added mass on the natural frequencies of a multilayer anisotropic fin oscillating in a compressible fluid. Water by neglecting viscidity effects has been considered as a surrounding fluid and the frequency response of the fin has been compared with that of vacuum conditions. It has been shown that because of the added mass effects in water environment, the natural frequencies of the fin decrease.