Free Vibrations of Skirt Supported Pressure Vessels

Abstract

<p>The free vibrations of skirt supported pressure vessels are studied in this thesis; both cantilevered and fixed-pinned systems are considered. A hierarchy of models, ranging from a rigid mass (vessel) supported by massless Euler-Bernoulli beam (skirt) to a model in which both components are represented by Timoshenko beams, is subjected to analysis. Several typical numerical examples are considered for both sets of boundary conditions. The results of these calculations indicate that whereas the cantilevered system may be modeled with fair accuracy, compared to the most sophisticated model considered, by a rigid mass supported by a massless beam capable of undergoing shear deformation, it is necessary to model all components of the fixed-pinned system by Timsoshenko beams, i.e. the most sophisticated model considered. The first two mode shapes for all models of a typical case of each configuration are shown. Finally, some comments on the modeling and analysis of specific realistic systems are made.</p>