Fluid impact onto a corrugated panel with trapped gas cavity

Abstract

Initial stage of incompressible liquid impact onto a corrugated elastic panel with account for compressible gas trapping between the corrugations is studied. The liquid free surface is flat and parallel to the panel before impact. The impact velocity is constant in this study. The corrugations are modelled as identical rigid short structures on the surface of the flat panel. The panel is either of infinite or finite length. There are only two corrugations which are placed symmetrically on the panel. Only a part of the panel between these two corrugations is elastic. The liquid free surface closes the gas cavity between the two corrugations at the initial instant of impact and compresses the gas before the fluid comes in contact with the elastic part of the panel. The elastic deflections of the panel are caused by gas pressure in the cavity. The elastic deflections modify both the pressure in the cavity and the hydrodynamic pressure distribution along the wetted part of the panel. The hydroelastic problem is solved within the Wagner approach. The effect of gas compressibility on the elastic behaviour of the corrugated elastic panel is investigated. It is shown that the pressure in the gas cavity and elastic deflections grow beyond all bounds for the panel of infinite length and are finite if the panel is of finite length. The present model is relevant for the strength assessment of the cargo containment system (CCS) in the tanks of LNG carriers.