Nonlinear low frequency water waves in a cylindrical shell subjected to high frequency excitations – Part I: Experimental study

This paper presents an experimental investigation on nonlinear low frequency gravity water waves in a partially filled cylindrical shell subjected to high frequency horizontal excitations. The characteristics of natural frequencies and mode shapes of the water–shell coupled system are discussed. The boundaries for onset of gravity waves are measured and plotted by curves of critical excitation force magnitude with respect to excitation frequency. For nonlinear water waves, the time history signals and their spectrums of motion on both water surface and shell are recorded. The shapes of water surface are also measured using scanning laser vibrometer. In particular, the phenomenon of transitions between different gravity wave patterns is observed and expressed by the waterfall graphs. These results exhibit pronounced nonlinear properties of shell–fluid coupled system.