A study on the wave propagation in axisymmetric tanks through the boundary element method

An advanced axisymmetric fluid-structure interaction Boundary Element Method (BEM) formulation in the frequency domain is used for the study of wave propagation in tanks. The tank is modelled as a linear elastic thin shaped structure while the wave is generated by a surface corrosion defect, which may be present in the structure. The appropriate continuity conditions are imposed at the interfaces between different mediums (elastic-fluid) and the action of the defect is modelled as a surface acoustic excitation on the fluid side of the base of the tank. The time dependent input signal from the defect is described by a narrow band time function and the resulting response at any surface point on the tank is calculated by the use of the inverse Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm.