Vibrations and stability of a periodically supported rectangular plate immersed in axial flow

Vibrations and stability of a thin rectangular plate, infinitely long and wide, periodically supported in both directions (so that it is composed by an infinite number of supported rectangular plates with slope continuity at the edges) and immersed in axial liquid flow on its upper side is studied theoretically. The flow is bounded by a rigid wall and the model is based on potential flow theory. The Galerkin method is applied to determine the expression of the flow perturbation potential. Then the Rayleigh–Ritz method is used to discretize the system. The stability of the coupled system is analyzed by solving the eigenvalue problem as a function of the flow velocity; divergence instability is detected. The convergence analysis is presented to determine the accuracy of the computed eigenfrequencies and stability limits. Finally, the effects of the plate aspect ratio and of the channel height ratio on the critical velocity giving divergence instability and vibration frequencies are investigated.