Tag: Drag

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Drag-induced dissipation in wave-structure interaction

In the interaction of water waves with marine structures, the interplay between wave diffraction and drag-induced dissipation is seldom, if ever, considered. In particular, linear hydrodynamic models, and extensions thereof through the addition of a quadratic force term, do not represent the change in amplitude of the waves diffracted and radiated to the far field, which should result from local energy dissipation in the vicinity of the structure. In this work, a series of wave flume experiments is carried out, whereby waves of increasing amplitude impinge upon a vertical barrier, extending partway through the flume width. As the wave amplitude increases, the effect of drag – which is known to increase quadratically with the flow velocity – is enhanced, thus allowing the examination of the far-field effect of drag-induced dissipation, in terms of wave reflection and transmission. A potential flow model is proposed, with a simple quadratic pressure drop condition through a virtual porous surface, located on the sides of the barrier (where dissipation occurs). Experimental results confirm that drag-induced dissipation has a marked effect on the diffracted flow, i.e. on wave reflection and transmission, which is appropriately captured in the proposed model. Conversely, when diffraction becomes dominant as the barrier width becomes comparable to the incoming wavelength, the diffracted flow must be accounted for in predicting drag-induced forces and dissipation.

Modelling the far-field effect of drag-induced dissipation in wave-structure interaction: A numerical and experimental study
A. Mérigaud, B. Thiria, R. Godoy-Diana, G. Perret
Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 987, A24 (2024).
doi: 10.1017/jfm.2024.298

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Hydrodynamics of the frontal strike in aquatic snakes

Hydrodynamics of the frontal strike in aquatic snakes: drag, added mass and the consequences for prey capture success

 

M. Segall, A. Herrel & R. Godoy-Diana
Bioinspiration & Biomimetics 14, 036005 (2019)
[doi:10.1088/1748-3190/ab0316]
bioRxiv preprint: https://doi.org/10.1101/411850

Transient locomotion under water is highly constrained by drag and added mass, yet some aquatic snakes catch their prey using a fast forward acceleration, with the mouth opened. These aquatic snakes show a convergence of their head shape in comparison with closely related species that do not forage under water. As both drag and added mass are related to some extent to the shape of the moving object, we explored how shape impacts the hydrodynamic forces applied to the head of a snake during a prey capture event. We compared two 3D- Continue reading “Hydrodynamics of the frontal strike in aquatic snakes”

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Review paper: Fluid dynamic drag in animal swimming and flying

On the diverse roles of fluid dynamic drag in animal swimming and flying
R. Godoy-Diana & B. Thiria
Journal of the Royal Society Interface 15 20170715 (2018)
[doi:10.1098/rsif.2017.0715]

Questions of energy dissipation or friction appear immediately when addressing the problem of a body moving in a fluid. For the most simple problems, involving a constant steady propulsive force on the body, a straightforward relation can be established balancing this driving force with a skin friction or form drag, depending on the Reynolds number and body geometry. This elementary relation closes the full dynamical problem and sets, for instance, average cruising velocity or energy cost. Continue reading “Review paper: Fluid dynamic drag in animal swimming and flying”

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Hydrodynamic constraints and evolution of aquatic snakes

snakesDoes aquatic foraging impact head shape evolution in snakes ?
M. Segall, R. Cornette, A-C. Fabre, R. Godoy-Diana & A. Herrel
Proceedings of the Royal Society B 283 20161645 (2016).
[doi:10.1098/rspb.2016.1645] PDF file

Evolutionary trajectories are often biased by developmental and historical factors. However, environmental factors can also impose constraints on the evolutionary trajectories of organisms leading to convergence of morphology in similar ecological contexts. The physical properties of water impose strong constraints on aquatic feeding animals by generating pressure waves that can alert prey and potentially push them away from the mouth. These hydrodynamic constraints have resulted in the independent evolution of suction feeding in most groups of secondarily aquatic tetrapods. Despite the fact that snakes cannot use suction, they have invaded the aquatic milieu many times independently. Here, we test whether the aquatic environment has constrained head Continue reading “Hydrodynamic constraints and evolution of aquatic snakes”