Keywords
aerodynamics; insects; flight; fluid mechanics
Abstract
Insect flight has long been a subject of interest across the scientific community, largely due to the exceptional aerodynamic performance insects demonstrate relative to their size. Insects tend to have very high aerodynamic performance characteristics like thrust and lift generation compared to their size. This has many potential applications in improving aircraft performance, however the flow phenomena concerning insect wing aerodynamics is still an area of ongoing research. This study aims to investigate how variations in key nondimensional flow parameters—specifically the Reynolds number and Strouhal number—affect the aerodynamic performance of beetle wings. Strouhal numbers ranging from 0.2 to 0.6 were tested using wing-mounted force sensors to directly measure aerodynamic forces.
Thesis Completion Year
2025
Thesis Completion Semester
Summer
Thesis Chair
Bhattacharya, Samisk
College
College of Engineering and Computer Science
Department
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Thesis Discipline
Aerospace Engineering
Language
English
Access Status
Open Access
Length of Campus Access
None
Campus Location
Orlando (Main) Campus
STARS Citation
THIHA, KEITH L., "Effects Of Changes In Strouhal And Reynolds Numbers On Beetle Wing Aerodynamics" (2025). Honors Undergraduate Theses. 383.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hut2024/383
Included in
Aerodynamics and Fluid Mechanics Commons, Biomechanical Engineering Commons, Biomechanics and Biotransport Commons, Entomology Commons
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