Non-linear dynamics and stability of circular cylindrical shells containing flowing fluid.: Part IV:: Large-amplitude vibrations with flow

The response of a shell conveying fluid to harmonic excitation, in the spectral neighbourhood of one of the lowest natural frequencies, is investigated for different flow velocities. The theoretical model has already been presented in Part I of the present study. Non-linearities due to moderately large-amplitude shell motion are considered by using Donnell's non-linear shallow-shell theory. Linear potential flow theory is applied to describe the fluid-structure interaction by using the model proposed by Paidoussis and Denise. For different amplitudes and frequencies of the excitation and for different flow velocities, the following are investigated numerically: (1) periodic response of the system; (2) unsteady and stochastic motion; (3) loss of stability by jumps to bifurcated branches. The effect of the flow velocity on the non-linear periodic response of the system has also been investigated. Poincare maps and bifurcation diagrams are used to study the unsteady and stochastic dynamics of the system. Amplitude modulated motions, multi-periodic solutions, chaotic responses, cascades of bifurcations as the route to chaos and the so-called "blue sky catastrophe" phenomenon have all been observed for different values of the system parameters; the latter two have been predicted here probably for the first time for the dynamics of circular cylindrical shells. (C) 2000 Academic Press.