Wind tunnel demonstration of galloping mitigation with a purely nonlinear energy sink

Abstract Galloping is a critical type of flow-induced vibration (FIV) arising on power transmission lines, high rise buildings, pipe and cables bundles in the oil gas industry. In this paper, we present purely nonlinear energy sink (NES) that mitigates galloping square prism. The NES composed ball rotating freely circular track attached to ball’s dynamics coupled prism way by inertia. We experimentally assess how simple reduces comparing amplitude responses with without NES. A supplementary video presents these experiments, during which exhibits different three regimes; oscillatory, intermittent, rotational. characterize behaviour its effect response each regime. oscillatory regime appears at low flow speeds both oscillate small amplitude. intermittent represents transition mode within range corresponds jump rotational higher speeds, where oscillates relatively angular resulting strong modulated design allows easily vary dimensions use sizes masses. Accordingly, demonstrate influence main parameters, are mass, radius, friction, radial clearance between walls ball, behaviour. directly amenable mitigate other types FIV.