Abstract：A theoretical and experimental study has been conducted to investigate this topic. The partial differential equations of motion based on the inextensibility assumption are derived for a cantilevered plate subjected to axial flow. The partial differential equations of motion of the plate are discretized using the Galerkin method. The complex modal analysis is adopted to analyze the dynamical behaviour of this system. The non-dimensional critical flow velocities are predicted, time traces and oscillation mode shapes are shown, the relationship between damping, frequency and flow velocity for the first three modes are also discussed, and the theoretical values are also compared with the experimental results in this paper. It is shown that cantilevered plates lose stability via a Hopf bifurcation and develops divergence. Typically, the free motions of the plates are damped in their first mode by the small flow velocities, and then are subject to flutter in their second mode at higher flow velocities; at slightly higher flow velocities, the plates flutter in third mode; meanwhile, a temporary second and third coupled-mode flutter is shown to occur.
2011, Vol. 32 
