Deformation of porous flexible strip in low and moderate Reynolds number flows

Abstract

The combination of porosity and permeability of a fluid-loaded structure strongly influences its behavior, but separating the two effects has traditionally proven challenging. Here, results from an experimental and numerical investigation are presented in which the porosity is fixed while systematically varying the permeability of cantilevered strips, which are towed through a viscous fluid. Their steady-state deformations and the associated drags at low and moderate Reynolds ($R\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}e$) numbers are studied. At moderate $R\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}e$, the permeability plays an important role, whereas its effect is small for low $R\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}e$.