A strip-element method for analyzing wave scattering by a crack in a fluid-filled composite cylindrical shell

A strip-element method is presented for analyzing wave scattering by a crack in a laminated composite cylindrical shell filled with a fluid. In this approach, two-nodal-line and three-nodal-line axisymmetric strip elements are employed to model the fluid and shell, respectively. Governing equations of the fluid and solid elements in the frequency domain are derived with a variational method and the Hamilton principle. The associated characteristic equations in the wave-number domain are obtained through Fourier transform techniques. Responses of the fluid-loaded shell to a line load are found by a modal analysis method and inverse Fourier transform techniques. Numerical results are given for fluid-filled laminated composite shells containing either a radial or an axial crack. The fluid is found to have strong influence on the scattered wave fields in composite shells.