Tutorial:

Dispersion Curves for a

Fluid-Filled Elastic Pipe
Problem Statement

 To compute the dispersion curves for fluid-filled pipe (elastoacoustic waveguide).

 To compute and compare the dispersion curves for a rigid-walled duct and an elastic
pipe with analytical results.

Acoustic waveguide Elastic waveguide Elastoacoustic waveguide

Dispersion curves

 Provides a relation between a wavenumber and frequency.

 Useful in computing the phase velocity and the group velocity.
 Accurate in describing the dynamic behaviour of waveguides.
 In a fluid-filled pipe where waves can travel in the fluid as well as in the pipe wall, the
dispersion curves provide a common wave number or wave mode that propagates into
the system as a whole.
Dispersion Curves: Rigid-walled duct of infinite length

 Out-of-plane wavenumbers are computed from a 2D cross-section using an eigenvalue

solver and compared to analytical results.
 Analytical modes to a rigid-walled, uniform, cylindrical waveguide of infinite length are
determined by the solution to the equation
𝐽𝑛′ 𝑘𝑟 𝑟 𝑟=𝑎 =0
where a is the radius of the cross-section, 𝐽𝑛′ is the derivative of the Bessel function of
order 𝑛 and 𝑘𝑟 is the radial wavenumber.
Results: Acoustic waveguide

Mode shapes at f = 16 kHz Dispersion curves for a rigid walled cylindrical acoustic waveguide
Dispersion Curves: Elastic waveguide of infinite length

 Out-of-plane wavenumbers are computed from a 2D cross-section using the

Eigenvalue solver and compared to analytical results.
 Analytical modes are determined using the wave numbers obtained via the Euler-
Bernoulli theory and the Timoshenko theory.
 Analytical solutions are computed from [1] for an elastic structure. A difference
between the results obtained from Euler-Bernoulli theory and Timoshenko theory is
clearly visible at high frequencies.
 Some differences for the bending mode between the analytical and COMSOL results
are clearly visible at higher frequencies. Since the analytical solutions are based on
certain approximations (e.g. shear effects are ignored in Euler-Bernoulli theory),
numerical simulations provide more accurate solutions.

[1] Karl F. Graff, Wave Motion in Elastic Solids, Dover publications

Results: Hollow cylindrical waveguide

Bending mode

Shear mode

Longitudinal mode

Dispersion curves for an elastic waveguide (hollow pipe)

Dispersion Curves: Fluid-filled elastic pipe

 The acoustic and elastic modes do not exist independently in an elastoacoustic

waveguide.
 At low frequencies, the fluid loading term is small. Therefore the dynamics of the pipe
is dominated by the elastic part [2].
 At high frequencies, the response is dominated by the acoustic modes [2].
 The analytical solution for the elastic and the acoustic part, as depicted in Fig. 1 and
Fig. 2, are plotted along with the dispersion curves of coupled elastoacoustic
waveguide to get an understanding of the dynamics of the coupled system.

[2] C.R.Fuller and F.J.Fahy, Characteristics of wave propagation and energy distributions in cylindrical
elastic shells filled with fluid, Journal of Sound and Vibration, 1982, 81(4), 501-518
Results: water-filled steel pipe

Coupled mode
Dispersion curves for an elastoacoustic waveguide (fluid-filled pipe)
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