Effect of heterogeneity on the axisymmetric vibrations of cylindrical shells

Abstract The influence of large heterogeneity on the axisymmetric vibration characteristics of thin, composite cylindrical shells is studied, both analytically and numerically. In the neighborhood of the axisymmetric breathing mode, frequency spectra for shells of infinite and finite length are shown to be influenced qualitatively as well as quantitatively by large deviations from material and geometric symmetry in layer arrangement. A study of mode coupling in a semi-infinite shell is made for both end modes and modes with stationary frequency with real finite wave number, the latter being uniquely generated by a special class of heterogeneity. In each case, analytical estimates are given for frequencies, wave numbers, and modal amplitudes as functions of material and geometric properties of the shell.