Free vibration of axisymmetric and beam‐like cylindrical shells, partially filled with liquid

A theory is presented for the determination of the free vibration characteristics of anisotropic thin cylindrical shells, partially or completely filled with liquid, for two circumferential wave numbers, n = 0, axisymmetric and n = 1, beam-like. The method used was a combination of finite element analysis and classical shell theory. The shell was subdivided into cylindrical finite elements and the displacement functions were obtained using the shell equations. Expressions for the mass and stiffness matrices for a finite element and for the whole structure were obtained. A finite element was developed for the liquid in cases of potential flow. The natural frequencies of the shell, both empty and partially filled, were obtained and compared with existing experiments and other theories.