Wave propagation in and free vibrations of gradient elastic circular cylindrical shells

Abstract

The governing equations of motion for a gradient elastic circular cylindrical thin shell are derived. The basic equations of dynamic equilibrium and strain-displacement relations due to Donnell are combined with the stress–strain equations of the gradient theory of elasticity involving one microstructural and one microinertial elastic constant in addition to the two classical elastic moduli. The shell governing equations of motion are first used to study the propagation of harmonic waves and then free vibrations for the particular case of a circular cylindrical shell simply supported at its two ends. The results of these analyses are compared against those of the classical case in order to assess the microstructural and microinertial effects on the dynamic behavior of the shell.