Analytical Studies of Fluid Conveying Pipes on Viscoelastic Foundation Using Differential Transforms Method

This study presents an analytical investigation of the vibration of fluid-conveying pipes on viscoelastic foundations using the differential transform method. The effects of a new time dependent viscosity parameter in the modified Winkler viscoelastic foundation is studied and analyzed. The governing equation is a fourth-order partial differential equation with pinned-pinned boundary conditions, which required a special analytical method for solution. The differential transform method was applied to obtain the solution of the governing partial differential equation for the fluid-conveying pipes on viscoelastic foundations. The time-dependent viscosity parameter in the modified Winkler viscoelastic model was implemented and simulated to determine the behavior of the viscoelastic foundation. The obtained analytical solution was validated with Runge-Kutta order four numerical method. The effects of foundation stiffness , coefficient of foundation damping and the frequency mass ratio on the governing model equation were investigated. In addition, the bending and deflection of the pipe on a viscoelastic foundation are compared with those on an elastic foundation. The analytical and the numerical solutions are in good agreement. From the study, it is observed that an increase in the foundation stiffness results in increase in the pipe inherent frequencies. Furthermore, the vibration of the pipe on a viscoelastic foundation shows better control and reduction compared with its vibration on an elastic foundation.