A photoelastic study of the response of immersed structures to fluid motion

Abstract

A basic object of the paper is the presentation of a method that permits the experimental determination of stresses associated with vibrations in flexible members, immersed in a fluid, and subjected to prestress. The applied object of the paper is to present a method that may help in the visualization of one form of behavior of buoy-cable systems loaded by the action of water waves. Photoelasticity is used for the analysis. The cable is modeled by a solid urethane rubber strip and the buoy by a floating plastic round can. Waves of controllable frequency are produced by a device actuated by a shaker. Bending and axial stresses in the strip are determined and the possible extension of the experimental results obtained to prototypes by means of scaling laws is suggested. © 1973 Springer-Verlag.