Sandwich Cylindrical Shells Research Articles

Buckling resistance of sandwich cylindrical shell with porosity-dependent GPLRC core and metallic facesheets

Buckling resistance of sandwich cylindrical shell with porosity-dependent GPLRC core and metallic facesheets

Free vibration analysis of sandwich shells with cutouts: An experimental and numerical study with artificial neural network modelling

This article investigates the free vibration and damping characteristics of cylindrical sandwich shells with cutouts using both experimental and numerical approaches. The effects of cutout shape, size, and position on the dynamic response of cylindrical sandwich shells are explored. Moreover, Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models are constructed to predict the dynamic behavior of the sandwich shell with a cutout. A user-friendly application, Sandwich Shell Vibration Analysis (SSVibA), is developed, incorporating the ANN models to predict the non-dimensionalized natural frequencies and modal loss factors of the sandwich shell under different shell geometries, boundary conditions and cutout configurations. The objective of the present research is to advance the understanding of the dynamic behavior of sandwich structures by integrating experimental investigations, numerical analyses, and ANN modeling.

Dynamic analysis of a spinning visco-elastic FG graphene platelets reinforced nanocomposite sandwich cylindrical shell with MRE core

Dynamic analysis of a spinning visco-elastic FG graphene platelets reinforced nanocomposite sandwich cylindrical shell with MRE core

Analysis of Free Vibration and Low-Velocity Impact Response on Sandwich Cylindrical Shells Containing Fluid

Analysis of Free Vibration and Low-Velocity Impact Response on Sandwich Cylindrical Shells Containing Fluid

Traveling wave vibration characteristic analysis of FRC sandwich cylindrical shells with FGP-GPLRC core under discontinuous elastic boundary conditions

In this study, a fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) sandwich cylindrical shell with a functionally graded porous graphene platelet reinforced composite (FGP-GPLRC) core is investigated, and the traveling wave vibration characteristics of this new sandwich cylindrical shell under discontinuous elastic boundary conditions are analyzed for the first time. The influences of centrifugal and Coriolis forces are introduced into the model. By employing the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) and the continuity assumption of the layerwise theory, the governing equations of the rotating sandwich shell are obtained. The artificial springs are implemented at the ends of the sandwich shell to represent the discontinuous elastic boundary conditions. The natural frequency of the shell is solved via the Rayleigh-Ritz method and the state space method. Then, the approach proposed is validated by comparing the present results with those reported in the literature and the finite element method. Finally, the effects of various parameters on the traveling wave frequency of the shell are evaluated. It was found that in practical engineering, the appropriate thickness of the FGP-GPLRC core should be selected according to the boundary conditions and other factors, and the ply angle should be adjusted to obtain more stability of vibration.

Deformation of an Open Sandwich Cylindrical Shell with CNT Reinforced Faces Using HDQ Method

Deformation of an Open Sandwich Cylindrical Shell with CNT Reinforced Faces Using HDQ Method

A cylindrical shell comprising multifunctional metamaterial cores with ultra-low frequency vibroacoustic reduction and mechanical performances

Deep-sea submersible is an important part of oceanic equipment, where special operating environment must require the outer material to have multifunctional properties such as load-bearing, buckling, and vibroacoustic suppression. Here, we proposed a novel metamaterial with excellent mechanical and ultra-low frequency vibroacoustic characteristics as a core material for cylindrical shells used in deep-sea submersibles. Compared to honeycomb materials, the proposed metamaterial utilized the design principles of local resonance theory, incorporating a subwavelength structure periodically embedded within the porous honeycomb structure. This configuration was expected to result in superior static and dynamic properties. Then, we systematically discussed the mechanical and vibroacoustic performance of sandwich cylindrical shells with metamaterial cores, characterized by positive or negative Poisson's ratios, to explore their potential for engineering applications in submerged pressure-resistant structures. The respective unit cells were designed to have equivalent load-bearing capabilities, and simulations were conducted to analyze the physical characteristics related to pressure resistance, buckling, and wave reduction. The results indicated that, compared to conventional honeycomb structures, the metamaterials based on PMMA could safely withstand hydrostatic pressures of nearly 7 MPa, resulting in nearly a twofold increase in structural strength. Additionally, the proposed metamaterials could open bandgaps in an ultra-low frequency range (with the normalized frequency Ω as low as 0.013) and an ultra-wide frequency range (with the bandwidth ratio as high as 83.50%), attributable to the coupling effect of traveling waves and subwavelength units. It is worth noting that the robustness and hydrostatic pressure insensitivity of the metamaterial were demonstrated in the studied hydrostatic pressure range of 0.1 MPa to 5 MPa. This work verified the feasibility of coupling the design between local resonance theory and porous structures, and provided guidance for the multifunctional design of sandwich cylindrical shells.

Cutout effects on the vibration of sandwich auxetic cylindrical shells with an experimental validation

This study investigates the influence of auxetic core layers on the vibrational characteristics of sandwich cylindrical shells with cut-outs. The analysis utilizes the First-order Shear Deformation Theory (FSDT) and analytical techniques. The irregular behavior of auxetic re-entrante honeycomb cells necessitates the exploration of their effects on various systems. Additionally, the proposed method offers advantages over Finite Element Method (FEM). FEM modeling suffers from increased computational time and reduced accuracy with a large number of elements or high aspect ratio elements. These challenges are particularly significant for shells with geometric features of disparate scales, such as large cylinders with tiny cutouts or cutouts with low aspect ratios. However, the present research addresses these challenges by employing a method that integrates five panels with varying dimensions. Consequently, each section can utilize specific Two-Dimensional Generalized Differential Quadrature (2D-GDQ) grid points, tailored to the size of each side, enabling rapid and accurate prediction of displacement and stress parameters, particularly for shorter sides. The proposed method excels at precisely modeling cutouts while preserving their realistic properties. This is achieved by avoiding geometric and material simplifications and by assigning distinct boundary conditions to each region, including critical areas like corners, internal, and external sides. Moreover, Frequency Response Functions (FRFs) obtained from accelerometer and laser signals, alongside vibration-induced sound wave signals captured by electroacoustic microphones, validate the precision of the numerical calculations.

Nonlinear resonant responses of a novel FGM sandwich cylindrical shell structure for supersonic flight vehicles based on 1:1 internal resonance between conjugate modes

A new design scheme for the functionally graded material (FGM) sandwich cylindrical shell structure made of ceramic-FGM-carbon fiber composites is proposed, which is geared towards supersonic flight vehicles and has high specific stiffness and high-temperature resistance. We focus on analyzing the nonlinear resonant responses of the novel FGM sandwich cylindrical shell subjected to external excitation and aerodynamic force. Firstly, the mechanical properties of the novel FGM sandwich material are calculated, and then the nonlinear dynamic model of the FGM sandwich cylindrical shell is established based on the first order shear deformation theory (FSDT) and Hamilton's principle. Due to the axisymmetric property of the cylindrical shell, a 1:1 internal resonance between the driven and companion modes always exists in the perfect cylindrical shell. Taking this into consideration, the nonlinear resonant response problems of the FGM sandwich cylindrical shell are numerically simulated by combining the Galerkin method and the pseudo-arc length continuation method. Finally, the effects of complex parameters such as external excitation, aerodynamic force, aspect ratio, gradient index, and skin-core-skin ratio on the nonlinear resonant responses of the FGM sandwich cylindrical shell are investigated.

A lightweight AuxHex zero Poisson's ratio pressure-resistant sandwich cylindrical shell and its load-bearing and sound insulation behaviors: Design, simulation and experiment

Pressure-resistant hulls are critical components in underwater vehicles and submersible systems. Exploring novel materials and structures has been a growing trend to overcome conventional structural limitations and achieve multifunctionality. Mechanical metamaterials with tunable physical properties can offer promise. Therefore, this study focuses on designing and fabricating a pressure-resistant sandwich cylindrical shell using AuxHex zero Poisson's ratio (ZPR) mechanical metamaterials. Structural optimization is employed to develop a lightweight AuxHex ZPR unit cell to withstand deep-sea pressure. Mechanical and acoustic experiments were then conducted on a 3D-printed Titanium alloy specimen, and the rationality of numerical modeling was validated by the experimental results. Load bearing and sound insulation properties of the designed ZPR sandwich cylindrical shell have been numerically analyzed and compared with its geometrically similar positive Poisson's ratio (PPR) and negative Poisson's ratio (NPR) shells. The designed ZPR structure that yields a mass density ratio of 0.569 g/cm³ can withstand hydrostatic pressure at 1000 m depths without strength or buckling damage, while adequate reserve buoyancy can be maintained. The submerged ZPR shell structure can provide superior protection for inner spaces and its average sound transmission loss (STL) is more than 5 dB higher than the PPR and NPR shells.

Vibration Correlation Technique: Methodology Applied to Buckling of Large-Scale Sandwich Cylindrical Shell

This paper assesses the Vibration Correlation Technique's (VCT) applicability within the context of sandwich cylindrical shells through detailed numerical investigation. The study utilizes a sandwich shell from NASA's Shell Buckling Knockdown Factor project. Finite element models are implemented, incorporating initial mid-surface and thickness imperfections to replicate NASA's buckling test campaign. The numerical results are compared to the experimental data, validating the nonlinear solution with an approximate deviation of 1%. Subsequently, the VCT experimental campaign is numerically conducted through free vibration analyses at different load levels, enabling a comprehensive evaluation of VCT's applicability. The results verified the effectiveness of the VCT, demonstrating a deviation of less than 10% when estimating the buckling load for load levels below 65% of the nonlinear buckling load. Overall, the findings confirm the non-destructive nature of the VCT when employed on such structures, supporting future practical applications.

Vibration and damping analyses of sandwich cylindrical and conical shells using meshfree method

Vibration and damping analyses of sandwich cylindrical and conical shells using meshfree method

Nonlinear vibration behaviours of foam-filled honeycomb sandwich cylindrical shells: Theoretical and experimental investigations

In this study, the nonlinear vibration behaviours of foam-filled honeycomb sandwich cylindrical shells (FHSCSs) are investigated theoretically and experimentally. Initially, a time-domain minimum residual (TDMR) method is first adopted for the analysis of nonlinear free and forced vibrations of the FHSCSs, which is based on a dynamical model developed, with the effective material parameters of the foam-filled honeycomb core being obtained by employing the Gibson method and the Hamilton equivalence technique. Based on the high-order shear deformation shell principle and von Karman's theory, the nonlinear natural frequencies and resonant responses are solved using the Broyden iterative approach and TDMR method. Furthermore, several literature results are utilized for the rough verification of such a method. Meanwhile, the FHSCS specimens are made manually and comprehensive tests with various base excitation energies are undertaken to provide a thorough validation of the current method. It can be found that the largest calculation errors of natural frequencies and resonant responses are 4.9 and 12.3%, respectively. Finally, the influences of the core form and base excitation amplitudes on the nonlinear vibration behaviours of the FHSCSs are examined. It can be noticed that the foam-filled FHSCS structure exhibits a more excellent anti-vibration capability compared to the non-foam-filled structure. The solving method, fabrication technique, and valuable findings in the current study highlight the path for the design and implementation of such advanced shells.

Vibration characteristics of a cylindrical sandwich shell with an FG auxetic honeycomb core and nanocomposite face layers subjected to supersonic fluid flow

In this paper, the flutter analysis is studied for a cylindrical sandwich shell subjected to external supersonic fluid flow. The sandwich shell consists of a re-entrant auxetic honeycomb (AH) core made of functionally graded materials (FGMs) which is covered with two polymeric face layers enriched with either carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), or graphene oxide powders (GOPs). The volume fraction (percentage) of the ceramic phase in the functionally graded auxetic honeycomb (FGAH) core varies from zero at the inner surface to one at the outer one based on either power-law function (P-FGM), exponential function (E-FGM), or sigmoid function (S-FGM). It is assumed that the nanofillers are distributed uniformly inside the face layers. The first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) and the piston theory are employed to provide the mathematical models of the shell and the aerodynamic pressure, respectively. The governing equations and boundary conditions are derived via Hamilton’s principle. An exact solution is performed in the circumferential direction via harmonic trigonometric functions (sine and cosine) and an approximate solution is performed in the axial direction utilizing the differential quadrature method (DQM). The natural frequencies and corresponding damping ratios are attained through the presented semi-analytical solution and the impacts of several factors on the natural frequencies and the critical aerodynamic pressure of the shell are examined. These factors the type of the FGM, the material index, and inclined angle of the cells in the FGAH core, the thickness of the FGAH core, the type and mass fraction of the nanofillers in the nanocomposite face layers, and boundary conditions.

A Study on the Critical Saturation Response Characteristics of Simple and Sandwich Cylindrical Shells under Long-Duration Blast Loading.

Experimental research and numerical simulations of the structural response to shock waves with pulse durations of hundreds of milliseconds, or even seconds, are extremely challenging. This paper takes typical single-layer and sandwich cylindrical shells as the research objects. The response rules of cylindrical shells under long-duration blast loadings were studied. The results show that when the pulse duration is greater than or equal to 4~5 times the first-order period of the structure, the maximum response of the structure tends to be consistent, that is, the maximum response of the cylindrical shells with different vibration shapes shows a saturation effect as the pulse duration increases. This study established the relationship between the saturation loading time and the inherent characteristics of the structure. It was found that the saturation effect was applicable under the following conditions, including different load waveforms, elastic-plastic deformation of the structure, and the loading object being a sandwich shell. This will help transform the long-duration explosion wave problem into a finite pulse-duration shock wave problem that can be realized by both experiments and numerical simulations.

Vibration Properties of Submerged Sandwich Cylindrical Shell Based on Wave Propagation Approach: Analytical and Experimental Investigation

The vibration properties of the submerged sandwich cylindrical shell with a viscoelastic core are investigated in this paper. Considering the acoustic-structure coupling, the analytical model of the submerged sandwich cylindrical shell that can handle three medium conditions including fluid-filled, fluid-loaded, and fluid-filled and -loaded is derived based on the wave propagation approach and the Flügge thin-shell theory. The vibration properties of the sandwich cylindrical shell under different medium and boundary conditions are analyzed, followed by a comparison of the damping effect of the constrained damping layer. Finally, an analysis is conducted on the influence of thicknesses of viscoelastic and constrained layers on vibration spectrum and natural frequency under fluid-filled and -loaded conditions. An experimental platform was established to conduct relevant experiments. Several important conclusions can be drawn.

Dynamic modeling and vibration characteristics of sandwich cylindrical shell with metal-rubber core

This work aims to identify ways for the equivalent material parameters of metal-rubber (MR), as well as the establishment of theoretical and numerical methods for sandwich cylindrical shells with metal-rubber core (SCS-MR) under thermal conditions. To achieve this goal, the first-order shear deformation theory and Hamiltonian principle are used to derive equations and expressions that consider temperature variations and elastic boundary constraints. This leads to the development of a novel dynamic model for sandwich cylindrical shell structures in a thermal environment. Furthermore, the study analyzes how vibration frequencies are affected by boundary spring stiffness and axial truncation number of displacement-permitted functions using the Jacobi-Ritz method. The impact of aspect ratio, core layer thickness ratio, and temperature on the vibration frequencies of SCS-MR is discussed. The results indicate that temperature slightly affects the frequency of SCS-MR. As the aspect ratio increases, the vibration frequency tends to decrease, irrespective of the circumferential wave number. However, the circumferential wave number plays a considerable role on vibration frequency associated with the core layer thickness ratio.

Nonlinear stability of ES-FG porous sandwich cylindrical shells subjected to axial compression in thermal environment

Stability analysis of cylindrical shells subjected to axial compression is a common problem in engineering applications. The phenomenon of instability can easily appear with thin cylindrical shells. Therefore, to increase the load-carrying capacity of this type of structure, the cylinders are increased in thickness by adding a porous core layer and reinforcing orthogonal stiffeners. In this study, the nonlinear buckling and postbuckling behavior of functionally graded (FG) porous sandwich cylindrical shells with orthogonal eccentrically stiffeners (ES) are investigated via analytical approach. The FG porous sandwich cylindrical shells are rested on Pasternak elastic foundations and subjected to axial compression load in a thermal environment. The reinforcement of the shells is achieved through closely spaced stringers and rings, with the material properties of both the shell and stiffeners graded continuously in the thickness direction. The governing equations are derived based on the Donnell’s shell theory with von Karman geometrical nonlinearity and the smeared stiffeners technique. The Galerkin procedure is employed to ascertain the critical load and post-buckling response, employing a three-term deflection solution. The study analyzed the effects of parameters such as porosity coefficient, material, temperature, dimensional parameters, stiffener, and foundation characteristics.

Analyzing the nonlinear torsional buckling and post-buckling of ES-FG porous cylindrical shells in thermal environment using FSDT in terms of the displacement components

The main aim of this paper is to investigate the nonlinear buckling and post-buckling of eccentrically stiffened sandwich functionally graded porous (FGP) cylindrical shells surrounded by elastic foundations in thermal environments and under torsional load by analytical approach in terms of the displacement components. The shells are reinforced by eccentric rings and stringers attached to the inside and material properties of face sheets and stiffeners are assumed to be continuously graded in the thickness direction. The sandwich cylindrical shell is composed of FG porous core and two FG layer coating. Based on the first order shear deformation theory (FSDT) with von Kármán geometrical nonlinearity and smeared stiffeners technique, the governing equations are derived. Using Galerkin method, the closed form to find critical torsional load and post-buckling load-deflection curves are obtained. The effects of porosity parameters, the thickness of the porous core, temperature, stiffener, foundation, material and dimensional parameters are analyzed.

Aeroelasticity analysis of anisogrid lattice sandwich cylindrical shells: Extended potential and piston theories

Based on the extended potential and piston aerodynamics theories, buckling and vibration analysis of sandwich cylindrical shells subjected to external airflow in both subsonic and supersonic regimes is presented. Sandwich cylindrical shells are considered to be made of same homogenous face sheets and an anisogrid composite lattice core with hexagonal cells. An equivalent single layer (ESL) theory in the framework of classical Love’s shell theory is used to formulate the global mechanical behavior of such shells. According to the extended potential and piston aerodynamic theories, aerodynamic pressure distributions are determined for steady, inviscid, irrotational compressible, and external airflow. The closed–form solutions of critical upstream pressure and natural frequency are developed for different boundary conditions using the Galerkin method. Finally, case studies are presented to compare between results of extended potential and piston theories and investigate the effects of upstream speed, geometric ratios, boundary conditions, and lattice specifications on various response quantities. Findings indicate that the differences in results of extended potential and piston theories are less than 3% in the supersonic regime with 2.3 ≤ M ∞ ≤ 2.7 for intermediate-length shells with a wide range of R . The piston theory is inadequate for analyzing aeroelasticity behavior of very long thin sandwich cylindrical shells.