Effect of Elastic Foundations on Divergence and Flutter of an Articulated Pipe Conveying Fluid

In this study, we generalize earlier investigations of Benjamin and Sugiyama & Paidoussis devoted to the stability of articulated pipes conveying fluid. The present study additionally incorporates the translational and rotational elastic foundations in an attempt to answer the following question: Do the elastic foundations increase the critical velocity of the fluid? It turns out that the attachment of the elastic foundation along the entire length of the pipe may either strengthen or weaken the system, with attendant increase or decrease in the critical velocity. The physical mechanism of the change of type of instability plays a crucial role in deciding whether or not the elastic foundation increases the critical velocity. If the elastic foundations are attached within the first pipe only, the instability mechanism is by flutter. If the elastic foundations are attached beyond the first pipe, then divergence may occur. The interplay of the two mechanisms may lead to a decrease of the critical velocity of the system with elastic foundations. A remarkable nonmonotonous dependence of the critical velocity with respect to the attachment foundation ratio is established. (C) 2000 Academic Press.