Analysis of cylindrical shells using generalized differential quadrature

The analysis of cylindrical shells using an improved version of the differential quadrature method is presented. The generalized differential quadrature (GDQ) method has computational advantages over the existing differential quadrature method. The GDQ method has been applied in solutions to fluid dynamics and plate problems and has shown superb accuracy, efficiency, convenience, and great potential in solving differential equations. The present article attempts to apply the method to the solutions of cylindrical shell problems. To illustrate the implementation of the GDQ method the frequencies and fundamental frequencies for simply supported-simply supported, clamped-clamped, and clamped-simply supported boundary conditions are determined. Results obtained are validated by comparing them with those in the literature. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.