Vibrations of a Composite Cylindrical Shell Made of a Glass Reinforced Plastic Material

Abstract

The vibrational characteristics of a composite cylindrical shell were experimentally determined and evaluated. The composite cylindrical shell, which is commercially available, is made of a glass reinforced plastic material. An impedance test was conducted to study the effectiveness of damping and vibration related properties of the composite. For comparison purposes, an identical test was conducted on a cylindrical shell made of steel. Impedance results are presented, discussed and compared between the composite shell and the steel shell. The significance of this article is that the forced vibrational characteristics of a glass reinforced plastic composite shell are evaluated in an impedance format, and are compared with those of an equivalent shell made of steel.