Non-linear coupled slosh dynamics of liquid-filled laminated composite containers: a two dimensional finite element approach

Abstract This paper brings into focus some of the interesting effects arising from the non-linear motion of the liquid free surface, due to sloshing, in a partially filled laminated composite container along with the associated coupling due to fluid–structure interaction effects. The finite element method based on two-dimensional fluid and structural elements is used for the numerical simulation of the problem. A numerical scheme is developed on the basis of a mixed Eulerian–Lagrangian approach, with velocity potential as the unknown nodal variable in the fluid domain and displacements as the unknowns in the structure domain. The FE formulation based on Galerkin weighted residual method along with an iterative solution procedure are explained in detail followed by a few numerical examples. Numerical results obtained by the present investigation for the rigid containers are first compared with the existing solutions to validate the code for non-linear sloshing without fluid–structure coupling. Thereafter the computational procedures are advanced to obtain the coupled interaction effect of non-linear sloshing in laminated composite containers.