An experimental study of flow-generated waves on a flexible surface

Abstract An experimental study of the generation of waves on an elastic surface by a turbulent boundary layer is discussed. Experiments were conducted primarily in a flat plate (two dimensional) geometry, with some companion rotating disk experiments (three dimensional) also performed. Three distinct types of surface waves were identified in the flat plate studies. The critical fluid velocity for the generation of two of these types correspond closely to that for the rotating disk geometry and to that predicted by the analysis of elastic surface wave generation presented herein. The observed propagation velocities for all three types of waves were approximately two orders of magnitude below the free-stream fluid velocity.