Small oscillations of a pressurized, elastic, spherical shell: Model and experiments

This paper presents a model for the small oscillations of a pressurized, elastic, spherical shell subject to internal and external fluid effects. The shell has three features: a pressure difference across the skin; a thin, tensioned shell; and a double curved interfacial surface. An analytical solution for the natural frequencies and mode shapes, incorporating the inertia both of the shell and the surrounding fluids, is derived. Two key parameters that quantify the effect of pre-stress and fluid inertia on the shell's behaviour are identified. When the skin tension is set to zero and the inertial effects of the fluid are removed, the results converge to the analytical solution for an elastic spherical shell, and when the skin elasticity is neglected, the results converge to the constant-tension solution of a bubble. The analytical solution is used to predict the natural frequencies of a small balloon, based on a value for the elastic modulus that is determined using inflation measurements. These predictions are compared to experimental measurements of balloon vibrations using impact-hammer testing, and good agreement is seen. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.