Simplified equations and solutions for the free vibration of an orthotropic oval cylindrical shell with variable thickness

Based on the framework of the Flügge's shell theory, the transfer matrix approach and the Romberg integration method, this paper presents the vibration behavior of an isotropic and orthotropic oval cylindrical shell with parabolically varying thickness along its circumference. The governing equations of motion of the shell, which have variable coefficients are formulated and solved. The analysis is formulated to overcome the mathematical difficulties related to mode coupling, which comes from variable curvature and thickness of shell. The vibration equations of the shell are reduced to eight first‐order differential equations in the circumferential coordinate and by using the transfer matrix of the shell, these equations can be written in a matrix differential equation. The proposed model is adopted to get the vibration frequencies and the corresponding mode shapes for the symmetrical and antisymmetrical modes of vibration. The sensitivity of the frequency parameters and the bending deformations to the shell geometry, ovality parameter, thickness ratio, and orthotropic parameters corresponding to different type modes of vibration is investigated. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.