Numerical study of effects of fluid-structure interaction on dynamic responses of composite plates

Abstract

Composite materials are seeing increased use in structural applications because of their various benefits. When composite structures are employed in a water environment, their dynamic responses are greatly affected by the fluid medium. Water density is comparable to many composite materials and the effects of fluid-structure interaction on dynamic behaviors of composite structures are significant. The effects of fluid-structure interaction include changes of frequency, magnitude, energy dissipation, etc., of structural characteristics. Hence, it is critical to understand the fluid-structure interaction of composite structures subjected to dynamic loading in water environments. This work focuses on finding parameters affecting the transient dynamic responses of composite structures. Coupled fluidstructure interaction analyses of composite plates are conducted numerically, using finite element models, including various parametric studies. The results are compared to those of dry structures to identify the role of each parameter.