Dynamic stability of liquid-filled cylindrical shells under horizontal excitation, part I: Experiment

Abstract Experimental studies have been carried out on the dynamic stability of a cantilever cylindrical shell partially filled with liquid, under horizontal excitation. The test cylinder was harmonically excited with constant acceleration or displacement amplitude. It was found that a combination instability resonance of sum type could occur, involving two natural vibrations with the same axial mode of vibration number but with the circumferential wave numbers differing by one. By varying the dimensionless water height from 0 to 1·0 stepwise by 0·25 increments, the instability regions and vibration modes were determined for two polyester test cylinders. The response waves, axial and circumferential vibration modes, and behavior of the free liquid surface were also observed.