High Resolution Measurement of the Coupled Velocity and Acceleration Fields of both the Fluid and Structure in Hydrodynamic Fluid Structure Interactio

PM & AM Research and Texas A & M University will develop an innovative non-invasive technique to meet the current DoD need for simultaneous acquisition of the velocity and acceleration fields of both a fluid and solid undergoing a fully-coupled fluid-structure interaction. Modern composite structures are being designed to flex or deform under fluid loading to attain desired performance gains. The resulting fluid/structure interactions, not easily modeled by classical analytical approaches, have recently motivated development of advanced methods to simulate coupled flow and structural motion. The success of these advanced computational methods depends critically on high-quality, high-fidelity, validation measurements. By utilizing a novel imaging and processing concept, our team will determine spatial and temporal resolution limits and identify approaches to improve resolution. Additionally, through demonstrations, we will evaluate the velocity and acceleration measurement accuracy. By utilizing the unique characteristics of the proposed approach, this high-resolution optical technique will allow for the potential development of low-cost version of the method in order to measure the fluid/structure interactions of interest.