An analysis of fluid–structure interaction coupling mechanisms in liquid-filled viscoelastic pipes subject to fast transients

Abstract

An extension of a recently developed quasi-2D flow model for fluid transients in viscoelastic pipes to handle fluid–structure interaction mechanisms is presented. In a context in which the fluid flow is devised as a structured pseudo-mixture and the pipe’s viscoelasticity is rooted in an internal variable theory, the axial movement of the pipe wall is allowed to occur, giving rise to friction, Poisson, and junction coupling mechanisms. The resulting governing equations of the model form a quasi-linear hyperbolic system of partial differential equations, which approximated solution is achieved by means of the method of characteristics. The proposed approach is validated against pressure traces acquired from a reservoir–pipe–valve experimental setup found in the literature. In the course of the validating process, different pipe anchoring conditions are employed to study the system responses. Focus is given to pipe–fluid interface interactions, energy dissipation, and transfer of energy between both media.