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Abstract
Fish are known to conserve energy by synchronizing their motion with vortices shed from a nearby object. In this thesis, the prospect of capturing energy from passing vortices to generate upstream propulsion is explored. The configuration of interest is a flexible can- tilevered beam in the wake of a rigid cylinder. The system is simulated by modeling the vortices as loads that move down the length of beam at a given flow speed. The model is used to calculate the dynamic response of the beam. The results show that the beams resonant response can be maximized when its length is equal to the diameter of the cylinder divided by the Strouhal number. Data from preliminary experiments conducted in a high- speed water tunnel are also presented. In separate experiments, a flexible beam and plate are placed in the wake of a cylinder and response data are collected using a laser Doppler vibrometer.