Application of a general purpose finite element method to elastic pipes conveying fluid

The motion of elastic pipes conveying fluids has been studied extensively for various idealized cases for many years. In this paper we show that recent advances in finite element methodology have made it possible to simulate these coupled fluid-structure systems within the context of a general purpose finite element program. Using a nonlinear Lagrangian-Eulerian finite element formulation we compare computational and theoretical results for four test cases with analytical solutions: a simplified cantilever pipe, a fixed-fixed pipe (clamped at both ends), a cantilever pipe, and a spring-supported cantilever pipe. Although care must be taken to match the finite element and theoretical modeling assumptions properly in all cases, the results show good agreement. (C) 1997 Academic Press Limited.