Results in Engineering (Sep 2024)
A novel partitioned numerical coupling between vortex particle method–structure–smoothed particle hydrodynamics models for wind-induced vibration analysis
Abstract
The article introduces a novel weakly-partitioned numerical coupling method implemented to analyze the wind-induced response of low-damped structures incorporating a Tuned Liquid Damper (TLD). The proposed methodology integrates the meshless Vortex-Particle Method (VPM) for wind flow and Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) for liquid sloshing flow, along with a structural dynamics solver, to simulate the complex coupled interactions of wind-sensitive structures. The numerical coupling framework includes time domain simulation by solving dynamic equations of motion that integrate stepwise external forces to account for (i) the wind effect and (ii) the hydrodynamic forces resulting from the sloshing damper. The complexity of this coupling method lies in precisely updating the boundary conditions during each simulation step to accurately model the flow-induced forces and coupled structural response phenomena. The presented wind–structure–damper interaction framework is employed for a two-dimensional case by using a circular cross-section equipped with a TLD to mitigate wind-induced vibrations. Comparative numerical analyses are presented for both vortex-induced vibration response of a single dynamic structure and wake-buffeting response of downstream moving structure influenced by a nearby standing section. In both scenarios, a unidirectional sloshing damper is considered across the wind. The dynamic analyses reveal a noteworthy reduction in structural response when employing the TLD in both cases. The study aims to underscore the applicability of CFD models for TLD predesign, specifically in modeling nonlinear sloshing forces in response to nonlinear resonant wind behavior, as a viable alternative to large-scale experiments.
