Coupled Slosh Dynamics of Liquid-Filled, Composite Cylindrical Tanks

Abstract

The present paper concerns the hydrodynamic coupling of fluid with laminated composite cylinders under small displacements. A numerical model using finite-element technique is presented to study the dynamics of inviscid, incompressible liquid inside thin-walled, flexible, composite cylindrical tanks. The finite-element equations of motion for both the tank wall and the fluid domain are formulated and numerically integrated using Newmark's predictor–multicorrector algorithm. Both fluid transients and structure dynamics problems are dealt with separately before solving for the coupled interaction problems. The solution procedures are applied to both rigid and flexible fluid-tank systems to demonstrate the effect of tank flexibility on the slosh characteristics and the structural response.