Physics
Tumbling dynamics of passive flexible wings
Document Type
Article
Abstract
The influence of flexibility on the flight of autorotating winged seedpods is examined through an experimental investigation of tumbling rectangular paper strips freely falling in air. Our results suggest the existence of a critical length above which the wing bends. We develop a theoretical model that demonstrates that this buckling is prompted by inertial forces associated with the tumbling motion, and yields a buckling criterion consistent with that observed. We further develop a reduced model for the flight dynamics of flexible tumbling wings that illustrates the effect of aeroelastic coupling on flight characteristics and rationalizes experimentally observed variations in the wing's falling speed and range. © 2010 The American Physical Society.
Publication Title
Physical Review Letters
Publication Date
5-6-2010
Volume
104
Issue
18
ISSN
0031-9007
DOI
10.1103/PhysRevLett.104.184504
Repository Citation
Tam, Daniel; Bush, John W.M.; Robitaille, Michael; and Kudrolli, Arshad, "Tumbling dynamics of passive flexible wings" (2010). Physics. 124.
https://commons.clarku.edu/faculty_physics/124
Cross Post Location
Student Publications
