O interesse em escoamento bifásico líquido-líquido aumentou recentemente, em especial devido às grandes perdas de energia envolvidas no transporte de petróleo, onde comumente uma mistura bifásica óleo-água é deslocada ao longo de grandes distancias. Embora este tipo de escoamento seja comum na indústria, não existem tantos trabalhos na literatura quanto os relacionados ao escoamento gás-líquido. Alguns estudos sobre escoamentos óleo-água reportam uma redução de atrito em dispersões e emulsões em regime turbulento sem adição de qualquer tipo de substancia química, mas a física por trás do fenômeno ainda não é bem compreendida. Neste trabalho, foi estudado o padrão de escoamento disperso óleo-água em tubulação horizontal, visando a obtenção de novos dados experimentais e um melhor entendimento do fenômeno de redução de atrito. Uma série de parâmetros considerados importantes para a caracterização do escoamento foi investigada: queda de pressão, fração volumétrica e sub-padrões de escoamento disperso. Apresentam-se dados de distribuição das fases e fração volumétrica in situ, obtidos através de um moderno sensor intrusivo, do tipo wire-mesh, baseado em medidas de capacitância (permissividade). Câmera de alta velocidade e técnica das válvulas de fechamento rápido foram utilizadas para validar os sinais do sensor. Um modelo prospectivo simplificado foi desenvolvido como uma tentativa de explicar a ocorrência do fenômeno de redução de atrito no padrão disperso óleo-água estudado. O modelo sugere que a presença de uma fina película de água rente a parede hidrofílica/oleofóbica do tubo poderia explicar a diminuição no gradiente de pressão bifásico observada. / The interest in two-phase liquid-liquid flow has increased recently mainly due to the petroleum industry where oil and water are often produced and transported together for long distances and the significant frictional pressure gradient involved. Liquid-liquid flows are present in a wide range of industrial processes; however, they have not been studied as intensively as gas-liquid flows. Drag reduction phenomenon in oil-water flows without the addition of any drag reduction agent has been detected in previous works, but the physics behind the phenomenon is yet not well understood. The aim of the research was to study the dispersed oil-water flow pattern in a horizontal pipe in order to better understand the phenomenon and the obtaining of new experimental data of oil-water dispersed flows. Important issues related to oil-water pipe flow were investigated: pressure drop, volume fraction and flow patterns. Phase distribution and holdup data were obtained by a new wire-mesh sensor based on capacitance (permittivity) measurements. A high-speed video camera and the Quick-Closing-Valves technique were used to compare and validate the signals of the wire-mesh sensor. A simplified mathematical model was proposed to explain the drag reduction phenomenon in the oil-water dispersed flow studied. The model suggests that the presence of a thin water film between the homogenously dispersed flow and the pipe wall could explain the observed decreases of the two-phase pressure gradient.

The flow around a finite square prism has not been studied extensively when compared with an “infinite” (or two-dimensional) square prism. In the present study, the effect of a wake-mounted splitter plate on the flow around a surface-mounted square prism of finite height was investigated experimentally using a low-speed wind tunnel. Of specific interest were the combined effects of the splitter plate length and the prism’s aspect ratio on the vortex shedding, mean drag force coefficient, and the mean wake. Four square prisms of aspect ratios AR = 9, 7, 5 and 3 were tested at a Reynolds number of Re = 7.4×104 and a boundary layer thickness of /D = 1.5. Splitter plate lengths of L/D = 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 5, and 7, were tested, with all plates having the same height as the prism. Measurements of the mean drag force were obtained with a force balance, and measurements of the vortex shedding frequency were obtained with a single-component hot-wire probe. A seven-hole pressure probe was used to measure the time-averaged wake velocity at a Reynolds number of Re = 3.7×104 for AR = 9 and 5 with splitter plates of lengths L/D = 1, 3, 5, and 7. These measurements were carried out to allow for a better understanding of how the splitter plate affects the mean wake of the finite prism. The results show that the splitter plate is a less effective drag-reduction, but more effective vortex-shedding-suppression, device for finite square prisms than it is for infinite square prisms. Significant reduction in the mean drag coefficient was realized only for short prisms (of AR ≤ 5) when long splitter plates (of L/D ≥ 5) were used. A splitter plate of length L/D = 3 was able to suppress vortex shedding for all aspect ratios tested. However, for square prisms of aspect ratios AR ≤ 7, the splitter plate is a less effective vortex-shedding-suppression device when compared to its use with finite circular cylinders, i.e. longer splitter plates are needed for vortex shedding suppression with square prisms. Wake measurements showed distinct wake velocity fields for the two prisms tested. For the prism of AR = 9, a strong downwash flow in the upper part of the wake became weaker towards the ground plane. For the prism of AR = 5, the downwash remained strong close to the ground plane. With splitter plates installed, the downwash became weaker for both prisms. The splitter plate was found to narrow the wake width, especially close to the ground plane, and led to the stretching of the streamwise vortex structures in the vertical direction, and increased entrainment towards the wake centreline in the cross-stream direction.

No description available.

En termes d’économie d’énergie, la réduction de trainée revêt un intérêt indéniable. Dans certains cas, ce phénomène obtenu grâce à l’ajout dans le milieu de faibles quantités d’additifs peut atteindre une réduction du frottement à la paroi, en régime turbulent, allant jusqu’à 80% comparé au fluide seul. On le retrouve dans divers domaines d’applications telles quele transport des hydrocarbures et dans les circuits d’eau de chauffage et de refroidissement.Trois systèmes qui ont la capacité de s’autoorganiser en milieux aqueux ou organique ont été étudiés dans le but de vérifier leur possible aptitude à réduire le frottement hydrodynamique.On s’est intéressé à un polysavon (80C12) composé d’un squelette polystyrène auquel sont liées des amines tertiaires portant des chaines alkyles de 12 carbones. Ce composé forme des micelles dans l’eau dont la forme cylindrique a été mise en évidence par diffusion de la lumière et Cryo-MET. L’étude du transfert de masse sur une électrode à disque tournant et les résultats rhéologiques ont mis en évidence le caractère viscoélastique qui est responsable duphénomène de réduction de frottement hydrodynamique recherché.Des études rhéologiques réalisés sur les systèmes lécithine/décane et ionomère/toluène ont permis de mettre en évidence le caractère viscoélastique des associations anisotropes de ces composés. / In terms of energy saving, drag reduction hasan undeniable interest. In some cases drag reduction with additives can reach 80% compared to pure solvent. This phenomenon has applications in many fields suchas transportation of hydrocarbons and cooling and heating systems. Three systems which have the capacity to selforganizein aqueous or organic media have been studied in order to check their possible ability to reduce hydrodynamic friction.We worked on a polysoap (80C12) based on polystyrene skeleton to which tertiary amines bearing alkyls chains of 12 carbons. This compound formsmicelles in water whose cylindrical shape has been demonstrated by light scattering and Cryo-TEM. The studies of the mass transfer on a rotating disk electrode and the rheological results have showed for the 80C12solutions several characteristics attributed to the dragreducing additives.Rheological studies on the systems lecithin/decane and ionomers/toluene, highlight the viscoelastic properties of the anisotropic associations of these compounds.

Nesse trabalho, foi analisada a redução de arrasto, a partir da utilização de duas bancadas experimentais, onde uma delas está situada no laboratório de Mecânica dos Fluidos (EPUSP) e a outra, no laboratório de Fisiologia Vascular (ICB-USP). A redução de arrasto foi investigada a partir do uso dos seguintes polímeros: poliacrilamida 1822S e 1340S, polietileno glicol (PEG4000) e óxido de polietileno (Polyox WSR-301). O comportamento reológico das soluções poliméricas do PEG4000 e das poliacrilamidas foi adquirido experimentalmente, enquanto do Polyox WSR-301 foi obtido da literatura. Esses polímeros foram utilizados na bancada experimental da EPUSP, simulador hidrodinâmico, mas somente o PEG4000 foi utilizado na bancada experimental do ICBI em leitos arteriais caudais de ratos normotensos (Wistar) e espontaneamente hipertensos (SHR). No simulador hidrodinâmico, foi estudada a redução de arrasto em escoamentos pulsáteis laminares e turbulentos, cuja faixa de Reynolds varia entre 2300 a 13700, com concentrações poliméricas que variaram entre 5 e 100 ppm, porém para o PEG4000 essa concentração atingiu valor de 5000 ppm. Em leitos arteriais caudais de ratos, a redução de arrasto foi analisada para escoamento laminar, cuja faixa de Reynolds varia entre 100 e 700, com concentração polimérica de 5000 ppm. Além disso, a redução de arrasto foi estudada na presença e ausência das células endoteliais. Simulações computacionais utilizando o método dos volumes finitos (Fluent) foram realizadas a partir dos dados obtidos da bancada experimental do ICB-I, para avaliar a distribuição da tensão de cisalhamento sobre a parede do vaso na presença e ausência das células endoteliais e do PEG4000, considerando a parede da artéria rígida. A partir dos dados obtidos da análise da viscosidade, ficou constatado que o PEG4000 com concentração de 5000 ppm e as poliacrilamidas 1822S e 1340S com concentrações de 5 e 10 ppm apresentaram comportamento de fluido Newtoniano. Para as poliacrilamidas, concentrações poliméricas acima de 10 ppm apresentaram comportamento de fluido não-Newtoniano. De acordo com a literatura, o Polyox WSR-301 apresentou comportamento de fluido Newtoniano para todas as concentrações poliméricas utilizadas nesse trabalho. O PEG4000 não apresentou o fenômeno da redução de arrasto em nenhuma concentração polimérica analisada, quando aplicado na bancada experimental da EPUSP. As poliacrilamidas e o Polyox WSR-301 apresentaram reduções de arrasto que foram dependentes do número de Reynolds e da concentração utilizada, muito embora o Polyox WSR-301 tenha se mostrado mais eficiente em promover esse fenômeno. Nos leitos arteriais caudais, o PEG4000 apresentou redução de arrasto para a concentração de 5000 ppm, que foi acentuada pela presença das células endoteliais. Os valores da tensão de cisalhamento foram maiores para o animal SHR quando comparados com o animal Wistar. Além disso, no animal Wistar, o endotélio controlou o aumento dessa tensão via produção de substâncias vasodilatadoras, mas apresentou disfunção no animal SHR. A partir dos resultados apresentados acima, podese concluir que o Polyox WSR-301 é mais eficiente para promover a redução de arrasto em tubos rígidos. Por outro lado, muito embora o PEG4000 não tenha apresentado efeito na bancada experimental da EPUSP, esse se mostrou um bom redutor de arrasto em leitos arteriais caudais, tendo sua ação intensificada pela presença das células endoteliais. / In this work, the drag reduction was analyzed in two benches located at Laboratory of Fluid Mechanics at Polytechnic School (EPUSP) and at Laboratory of Vascular Physiology at Institute of Biomedical Science (ICB-USP). The drag reduction was investigated for the following polymers: polyacrilamide 1822S and 1340S, polyethylene glycol (PEG4000) and polyethylene oxide (Polyox WSR-301). The rheological behavior of polymeric solutions of polyacrilamide and PEG4000 was acquired experimentally; while it was obtained from the literature for Polyox WSR-301. All of these polymers were used in the hydrodynamic simulator, but only PEG4000 was employed in the tails arterial bed from normotensive (Wistar) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) at ICB-1. In the hydrodynamic simulator, the drag reduction was analyzed in laminar and turbulent pulsatile flow, in the range varying between 2300 and 13700, with polymeric concentrations between 5 and 100 ppm, but for PEG4000, concentration has reached 5000 ppm. On the other hand, in the tail arterial beds, the drag reduction was analyzed for laminar flow, in the range between 100 and 700, with polymeric concentration of 5000 ppm. In addition, it was studied in the presence and absence of endothelial cells. Computational simulation using the finite volume method (Fluent) was performed using data obtained from ICB-1 in order to analyze the wall shear stress distribution along of wall vessel both in the presence and absence of endothelial cells and PEG4000, considering the rigid walls. Polyacrilamide 1822S and 1340S as well as PEG4000 showed behavior of Newtonian fluid in the following concentrations: 5 and 10 ppm and 5000 ppm, respectively. On the other hand, for polyacrilamides, concentrations higher than 10 ppm showed behaviour of non- Newtonian fluids. According to the literature, the Polyox WSR-301 behaved as a Newtonian fluid in all concentrations used in this work. At EPUSP\'s bench, while PEG4000 did not show drag reduction for any polymeric concentration analyzed, this phenomenon could be seen for polyacrilamides and Polyox WSR-301, being dependent on Reynolds number as well as polymeric concentration. More important, Polyox WSR- 301 showed to be the most efficient drag reducer of them. Interestingly, in the assays employing the tail arterial beds, PEG4000 showed drag reduction in the concentration of 5000 ppm and it was increased by the presence of the endothelial cells. Thus, Polyox WSR-301 seems to be more efficient to promote drag reduction in the rigid tubes. On the other hand, while PEG4000 did not show drag reduction at EPUSP\'s bench, it was a good drag reducer in the tail arterial beds, being intensified by the action of endothelial cells.

O interesse em escoamento bifásico líquido-líquido aumentou recentemente, em especial devido às grandes perdas de energia envolvidas no transporte de petróleo, onde comumente uma mistura bifásica óleo-água é deslocada ao longo de grandes distancias. Embora este tipo de escoamento seja comum na indústria, não existem tantos trabalhos na literatura quanto os relacionados ao escoamento gás-líquido. Alguns estudos sobre escoamentos óleo-água reportam uma redução de atrito em dispersões e emulsões em regime turbulento sem adição de qualquer tipo de substancia química, mas a física por trás do fenômeno ainda não é bem compreendida. Neste trabalho, foi estudado o padrão de escoamento disperso óleo-água em tubulação horizontal, visando a obtenção de novos dados experimentais e um melhor entendimento do fenômeno de redução de atrito. Uma série de parâmetros considerados importantes para a caracterização do escoamento foi investigada: queda de pressão, fração volumétrica e sub-padrões de escoamento disperso. Apresentam-se dados de distribuição das fases e fração volumétrica in situ, obtidos através de um moderno sensor intrusivo, do tipo wire-mesh, baseado em medidas de capacitância (permissividade). Câmera de alta velocidade e técnica das válvulas de fechamento rápido foram utilizadas para validar os sinais do sensor. Um modelo prospectivo simplificado foi desenvolvido como uma tentativa de explicar a ocorrência do fenômeno de redução de atrito no padrão disperso óleo-água estudado. O modelo sugere que a presença de uma fina película de água rente a parede hidrofílica/oleofóbica do tubo poderia explicar a diminuição no gradiente de pressão bifásico observada. / The interest in two-phase liquid-liquid flow has increased recently mainly due to the petroleum industry where oil and water are often produced and transported together for long distances and the significant frictional pressure gradient involved. Liquid-liquid flows are present in a wide range of industrial processes; however, they have not been studied as intensively as gas-liquid flows. Drag reduction phenomenon in oil-water flows without the addition of any drag reduction agent has been detected in previous works, but the physics behind the phenomenon is yet not well understood. The aim of the research was to study the dispersed oil-water flow pattern in a horizontal pipe in order to better understand the phenomenon and the obtaining of new experimental data of oil-water dispersed flows. Important issues related to oil-water pipe flow were investigated: pressure drop, volume fraction and flow patterns. Phase distribution and holdup data were obtained by a new wire-mesh sensor based on capacitance (permittivity) measurements. A high-speed video camera and the Quick-Closing-Valves technique were used to compare and validate the signals of the wire-mesh sensor. A simplified mathematical model was proposed to explain the drag reduction phenomenon in the oil-water dispersed flow studied. The model suggests that the presence of a thin water film between the homogenously dispersed flow and the pipe wall could explain the observed decreases of the two-phase pressure gradient.

Motivée par les contraintes économiques et les exigences environnementales, l'industrie du transport tente de réduire ses dépenses énergétiques. Elle concentre notamment ses efforts sur la traînée de frottement. Bien que d'origine visqueuse, celle-ci est fortement amplifiée par les mouvements turbulents. La capacité à manipuler les fluctuations turbulentes, complexes et chaotiques, offre alors des perspectives de gain énergétique substantiel, mais nécessite une bonne compréhension des phénomènes physiques. Parmi les stratégies de contrôle les plus prometteuses, l'utilisation de revêtements rainurés, nommés riblets, est étudiée dans ce mémoire. Bien que leur capacité de réduction de frottement soit connue depuis plusieurs décennies, les mécanismes par lesquels ils interagissent avec la turbulence restent à préciser. À ces fins, une méthode pour leur simulation numérique est mise au point. En redéfinissant la position de l'origine virtuelle, c'est-à-dire de la paroi plane équivalente, une forte similitude est établie entre les écoulements contrôlé et canonique. D'un point de vue applicatif, cela permet notamment de quantifier les performances de réduction de traînée atteignables à haut nombre de Reynolds. Enfin, le potentiel a priori prometteur des riblets tridimensionnels est exploré. En s'appuyant sur les rares résultats précurseurs de la littérature, il s'agit de proposer une géométrie industriellement réalisable optimale en termes de réduction de traînée. Pour chacune des géométries novatrices testées, les simulations révèlent avec finesse que les éventuels bénéfices sur le frottement sont systématiquement surpassés par l'influence délétère des efforts de pression. / Economical constrains and environmental requirements lead the transportation industry to progress towards energy expenditure reduction. Efforts are especially focused on the skin-friction drag. Friction drag, while due to viscosity, is greatly amplified by turbulent motions. The ability to manipulate the complex and chaotic near-wall turbulent fluctuations thus offers prospects for substantial energy saving, but also requires a solid understanding of the physical phenomena.Among the most promising control strategies, the present manuscript focuses on riblet-covered surfaces. Even though their drag-reducing capability has been observed from decades, the mechanisms by which they interact with the near-wall turbulent motions still need to be clarified. Towards these ends, a numerical method for ensuring their proper simulation is developed. The virtual origin—interpreted as the equivalent flat wall location—is redefined, which highlights a strong similarity between the controlled and the canonical flows. As a practical interest, this similarity enables an improved evaluation of the drag reduction capabilities achievable at high Reynolds numbers.Additionally, the promising potential for three-dimensional riblets is examined. Based on the scattered precursory results of the literature, we intend to come up with a design which demonstrates optimal drag reduction capabilities under the constraint of industrial feasibility. For each of the prospected innovative designs, the numerical simulations accurately reveal that the potential profit on skin-friction is consistently exceeded by the harmful influence of pressure stresses.

V této diplomové práci byla provedena série numerických výpočtů proudění kolem křídla s aktivním řízením proudu. Výpočty jsou provedeny pro různé úhly náběhu křídla s profilem NACA 0015. Křídlo s zařízením pro aktivní řízení proudu bylo testováno v podmínkách s Machovým číslem M=0,21 a Re= 2500000. Bylo zkoušeno více možných konfigurací s cílem nalézt nejúčinější variantu, která bude zároveň stále energeticky efektivní. Vybraný přístup k aplikaci aktivního řízení na křídle se od ostatních liší. Použito je velkých ploch pro vyfukování vzduchu o nízké rychlosti a zároveň v souvislosti s tím je studována energetická účinnost. Snížení odporu a zvýšení vztlaku je dosaženo změnou řídících veličin. Při určitých specifických podmínkách je zařízení schopno při velmi vysoké energetické účinnosti dosáhnout pro všechny úhly náběhu výrazného snížení odporu, zvýšení vztlaku křídla, nebo obojího zároveň. Maximální pokles odporu křídla na malých úhlech náběhu přesahuje 40% z celkového odporu křídla a stále s dodržením energetické účinnosti.

This thesis is motivated by the application of active flow control on the cabin of trucks, thereby providing a new means of drag reduction. Particularly, the work presented strives to identify how plasma actuators can be used to reduce the drag caused by the detachment of the flow around the A-pillars. This is achieved by conducting numerical simulations, and is part of a larger project that also includes experimental. The effect of plasma actuators is modeled through a body force, which adds very little computational cost and is suitable for implementation in most CFD solvers. The spatial distribution of this force is described by coefficients which have been optimized against experimental data, and the model was shown to be able to accurately reproduce the wall jet created by a single plasma actuator in a no-flow condition. A half cylinder geometry - a simplified geometry for the A-pillar of a truck - was used in a preliminary Large Eddy Simulation (LES) study that showed that the actuator alone, operated continuously, was not sufficient to achieve a significant reduction of the drag. Nevertheless, a significant drag reduction was obtained by simply increasing the strength of the body force to a higher value, showing that this type of actuation remains relevant for the reduction of drag. In the course of finding ways to improve the efficiency of the actuator, dynamic mode decomposition was investigated as a post-processing tool to extract structures in the flow. Such structures are identified by their spatial location and frequency, and might help to understand how the actuator should be used to maximize drag reduction. Thus a parallel code for dynamic mode decomposition was developed in order to facilitate the treatment of the large amounts of data obtained by LES. This code and LES itself were thereafter evaluated in the case of a pulsating channel flow. By using the dynamic mode decomposition it was possible to accurately extract oscillating profiles at the forcing frequency, although harmonics with lower amplitude compared to the turbulence intensity could not be obtained. / Denna avhandling behandlar tillämpningen av aktiv strömningskontroll för lastbilshytter, vilket är en ny metod för minskning av luftmotståndet. Mer i detalj är det övergripande målet att visa på hur plasmaaktuatorer kan användas för att minska luftmotståndet orsakat av avlösningen runt A-stolparna. In denna avhandling studeras detta genom numeriska simuleringar. Arbetet är en del av ett projekt där även experimentella försök görs. Effekten av plasmaaktuatorer modelleras genom en masskraft, vilket inte ger nämnvärd ökning av beräkningstiden och är lämplig för implementering i de flesta CFD-lösare. Den rumsliga fördelningen av kraften bestäms av koefficienter vilka i detta arbete beräknades utifrån experimentella data. Modellen har visat sig kunna återskapa en stråle nära väggen med god noggrannhet av en enskild plasmaaktuator för en halvcylinder utan strömning. Samma geometri - en halvcylinder som här används som förenklad geometri av A-stolpen på en lastbil - användes i en preliminär LES studie som visade att enbart aktuatorn vid kontinuerlig drift inte var tillräckligt för att uppnå en signifikant minskning av luftmotståndet. En signifikant minskning av luftmotståndet erhölls genom att helt enkelt öka styrkan på kraften, vilket visats att denna typ av strömningskontroll är relevant för minskning av luftmotståndet. I syfte att förbättra effektiviteten hos aktuatorn, studerades dynamic mode decomposition, som ett verktyg för efterbehandling för att få fram flödesstrukturer. Dessa strukturer identifieras genom deras rumsupplösning och frekvens och kan hjälpa till att förstå hur aktuatorerna bör användas för att minska luftmotståndet. En parallelliserad kod för dynamic mode decomposition utvecklades för att underlätta efterbehandlingen av de stora datamängder som fås från LES-beräkningarna. Slutligen, utvärderades denna kod och LES-beräkningar på ett strömningsfall med pulserande kanalflöde. Metoden, dynamic mode decomposition, visade sig kunna extrahera de oscillerande flödesprofilerna med hög noggrannhet för den påtvingade frekvensen. Övertoner med lägre amplitud jämfört med turbulensintensiteten kunde dock inte erhållas. / <p>QC 20150312</p>

La déflection statique d'une structure flexible exposée à un écoulement transverse permet classiquement de réduire la traînée à laquelle elle est soumise. Dans le domaine de la biomécanique, la déformation induite par l'écoulement d'éléments végétaux flexibles conduisant à une réduction du chargement est désignée par le terme `reconfiguration' pour souligner le caractère avantageux de ce processus adaptatif. Dans cette thèse, nous examinons les mécanismes qui sous-tendent le processus de reconfiguration, dans des systèmes fluide-structure présentant une variabilité spatiale, ou de la dynamique provenant au choix de l'instationnarité de l'écoulement de base, d'un couplage fluide-structure conduisant à une instabilité, ou de vibrations induites par vortex. Nous montrons que l'aptitude des structures flexibles à réduire l'intensité du chargement imposé par l'écoulement est preservée en présence de non-uniformités ou de dynamique, à condition que le design de la structure soit tel que la traînée résistive domine les forces inertiels. Nous montrons de plus que la capacité à se déformer présente l'avantage supplémentaire de permettre la réduction des vibrations induites par vortex. Notre travail indique également que des structures légères et élancées sont les mieux adaptées pour supporter les chargements induits par l'écoulement en se reconfigurant, et que l'efficacité de la réduction du chargement par reconfiguration élastique dépend faiblement de la distribution spatiale des propriétés du système. Finalement, la réduction des chargements résulte toujours, indépendamment du régime de reconfiguration, de la concentration de la déformation sur une longueur caractéristique inférieure à la longueur réelle de la structure. / The static deflection of a flexible structure exposed to a transverse flow is classically known to reduce the drag it has to withstand. In the field of biomechanics, the flow-induced deformation of flexible plant elements leading to a reduction of the loads is referred to as `reconfiguration', in order to highlight the alleged benefits of such adaptive process. In this thesis, we investigate the mechanisms underpinning the reconfiguration in flow-structure systems featuring some spatial variability, or some dynamics arising either from the unsteadiness of the free-stream, from a flow-structure coupling leading to an instability, or from vortex-induced vibrations. We show that the ability of flexible structures to reduce the magnitude of the flow-induced loads is preserved in the presence of non-uniformities or dynamics, provided that the design of the structure is such that resistive drag dominates over inertial forces. We also show that the ability to deform has the added benefit of reducing the magnitude of the vortex-induced vibrations. Our work further indicates that light, slender structures are better suited to accommodate the flow-induced loads by reconfiguring, and that the efficiency of the process of load reduction by elastic reconfiguration is weakly sensitive to the spatial distribution of the system properties. Finally, regardless of the regime of reconfiguration, the reduction of the load always results from the concentration of the deformation on a characteristic bending length smaller than the actual length of the structure.