Three-dimensional oscillations of a cantilever pipe conveying fluid

The aim of the study described in this paper is to investigate the two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) flutter of cantilevered pipes conveying fluid. Specifically, by means of a complete set of non-linear equations of motion, two questions are addressed: (i) whether for a system losing stability by either 2-D or 3-D flutter the motion remains of the same type as the flow velocity is increased substantially beyond the Hopf bifurcation precipitating the flutter; (ii) whether the bifurcational behaviour of a horizontal system and a vertical one (sufficiently long for gravity to have an important effect on the dynamics) are substantially similar. Stability maps and tables are used to delineate areas in a flow velocity versus mass parameter plane where 2-D or 3-D motions occur, and limit-cycle motions are illustrated by phase-plane plots, PSDs and cross-sectional diagrams showing whether the motion is circular (3-D) or planar (2-D). (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.