Vortex-induced vibration (VIV) dynamics of a tensioned flexible cylinder subjected to uniform cross-flow

This paper presents the experimental results of a study on the effects of axial applied tension on the vibration amplitude, the suppression of vibration, hydrodynamic force coefficients and in-line (IL) and cross-flow (CF) frequency responses during vortex-induced vibration of a horizontally mounted flexible cylinder with a low mass ratio (cylinder’s mass/mass of displaced water), low bending-stiffness, and high aspect ratio (length/diameter 200) in the subcritical Reynolds number regime (Re = 1000–16000). The effect of tension is studied by applying four different tensions. It was revealed that higher applied tensions, which reduce the vibration amplitude, could significantly raise the hydrodynamic lift force coefficient. In addition, higher applied tensions generate narrower lock-in bandwidths. After the highest vibration amplitude and during the region of lower vibration amplitudes, within the first lock-in region (in the first mode of vibration), power spectral densities show broad bandwidth, while within other regions and higher modes they appear narrow-banded. The ratio of the dominant IL to CF frequency is approximately equal to 2.0, except for the lower reduced velocities, where the ratio values reach 3.83 for the highest tension accompanied by widening of the region in which this ratio is over 2.0. This ratio is 2.76 for the lowest applied tension with a narrower region.