Elastic membrane interacting with unsteady fluid flows

We experimentally and numerically study the kinematics and dynamics of a soft, compliant membrane interacting with a fluid flow. To model the membrane dynamics we introduce an unsteady Young-Laplace type equation with nonlinear curvature and deformation-dependent hyperelastic tension. The coupling of the membrane with the surrounding fluid is performed using a numerical panel method, and the simulations are validated by comparison with laboratory experiments. We explore the interactions of two wave modes mediated by the hyperelastic membrane. The membrane’s elastic modulus and the ratio of membrane natural frequency to fluid frequency are varied systematically, and we report on the various regimes of coupled oscillations.