Forced vibrations of multi-component compliant tanks and feedlines

An analytical and experimental research program was performed to investigate the effects of flexible tanks and lines and the total system dynamic response of a simple physical system which had some of the essential features of a liquid-fueled launch vehicle. Several vessel-wall materials were used to obtain a range of elastic moduli. Water was used to simulate the fuel and an electromagnetic shaker provided external excitation such as might originate from a rocket-propulsion system. Experimental data were compared to values obtained from mathematical models for the many degree-of-freedom lumped-mass representation.