Instability of an articulated cantilever induced by an impinging airjet

Abstract Experimental results on instability modes of an articulated cantilever, subjected at its free end to an impinging airjet, are presented and compared with linearized numerical estimates. It is reconfirmed that when the surface upon which the airjet impinges is smooth, then the loss of stability occurs by buckling, whereas, with certain metal mesh and sandpaper backing placed on this surface, the loss of stability is by flutter (oscillations with increasing amplitude). With direct and careful measurement of the applied resultant loads, good correlation between the numerical estimates and the experimental results is obtained.