Unsteady fluid dynamic forces on a simply-supported circular cylinder of finite length conveying a flow, with applications to stability analysis

Abstract

An exact analytic expression for the unsteady fluid pressure acting on the internal walls of a simply-supported circular cylindrical tube of finite length, carrying flow, is presented. The generalized force coefficients corresponding to specific modes of deformation are given explicitly. The results are applied to two problems: (1) the interaction of flow and buckling of thin-walled cylindrical shells subjected to lateral pressure and/or end thrust; (2) the aeroelastic stability of the shells. The second problem is aimed at resolving some controversy about post-divergence flutter oscillation of cylindrical shells or plates exposed to a subsonic flow. The shell equation, of the Morley type, is solved by Galerkin's method and an analytic approach is used to examine the stability of the system. It is important that damping be taken into account in the analysis. The undeformed configuration is always unstable when the flow speed exceeds the minimum divergence boundary.