Experimental and theoretical study of gravity-driven falling plates

This research investigates the fluid-structure interaction phenomenon of gravity-driven falling rigid plates through a combination of experimental and theoretical approaches. Plates of varying dimensions and densities are systematically examined to explore the influence of non-dimensional parameters, including the Reynolds number ( R e ) and dimensionless moment of inertia ( I * ), on the falling patterns. High-speed photography is employed to extract plate trajectories and posterior kinematics calculations. In the range of relatively high Reynolds numbers ( R e > 800 ), our study identifies three distinct falling modes: periodic fluttering, periodic tumbling, and marginal chaotic motion. The falling trajectories of the plates are analyzed and compared with their corresponding kinematic behaviors. By integrating theoretical analyses with experimental findings, we develop a semi-analytical model capable of calculating the real-time hydrodynamic forces and moments acting on falling plates. This model facilitates the prediction of falling trajectories for quasi-2-dimensional plates with arbitrary material and dimension combinations. Comparisons between model predictions and experimental results demonstrate good agreement in the fluttering and tumbling modes.