Finite element analysis of lateral sloshing response in axisymmetric tanks with triangular elements

A finite element analysis is presented for the sloshing motion of liquid-filled axisymmetric tanks during lateral excitation, for a circumferential mode number, m = 1, antisymmetric. The system of finite element equations concerned is derived by means of variational principle. Linear basis functions associated with the regular triangulation of Friedrichs-Keller type was used. The analytical expressions of the mass and stiffness matrices for a finite element were obtained. Numerical results of the free vibration for cases of annular and cylindrical tanks were obtained, and compared with existing experiments and other predicted results, showing a good agreement between the experiment and numerical results.