The free vibration of toroidal shell is studied using dynamic stiffness method. Dynamic stiffness method eliminates both spatial discretatization error and mesh generation. Moreover, with finite number of degrees of freedom, dynamic stiffness method can predict infinite number of natural frequencies. The dynamic behavior of toroidal shell is modeled by DMV (Donnell-Mushtari-Vlasov) linear thin shell theory in present paper. However, the procedure can be adapted to be used with any other linear thin shell theory without difficulty. Since a close form solution of toroidal shell using DMV theory is not (yet) possible, in order to obtain the desired dynamic stiffness matrix, finite number of Fourier's series terms are taken in circumferential direction and the unknown longitudinal displacements are then solved from the reduced governing equations exactly. The solution obtained from the dynamic stiffness method can be regarded as semi-analytical due to the Fourier approximation. With the dynamic stiffness matrices in hands, toroidal shell with different boundary condtions and connections (to other toroidal shells) can be analyzed. This paper presents the procedure and assumption made in order to obtain the dynamic stiffness matrix of toroidal shell in harmonic oscillation. Also some numerical examples will be given and discussed.

purchase the full-text of this paper (price £20)

go to the previous paper
go to the next paper
return to the table of contents
return to the book description
purchase this book (price £70 +P&P)