Vibro-acoustic behavior of submerged cylindrical shells:: Analytical formulation and numerical model

We propose both an analytical formulation and a numerical model to study the hydroelastic or vibroacoustic behaviour of cylindrical thin shells immersed in an unbounded, inviscid and heavy fluid. The analytical solution allows us to calculate the dynamic response and the pressure radiated in the far field by a baffled cylinder. This formulation uses the truncated modal basis of the dry structure to expand the displacements of the submerged shell. The analytical model is used as a reference in order to validate a numerical model which couples the finite element method (FEM) to the boundary element method (BEM). As opposed to the analytical formulation which is dedicated to baffled circular cylinders only, the numerical model allows us to treat any axisymmetric shell, such as cylindrical and spherical shells, or more complex shells of revolution. The structure is idealized by two-node ring finite elements and the boundary equation is solved using the method of singularities. (C) 1998 Academic Press.