Nonlinear dynamics of a fluid-conveying curved pipe subjected to motion-limiting constraints and a harmonic excitation

This paper investigates the dynamical behaviour of a fluid-conveying curved pipe subjected to motion-limiting constraints and a harmonic excitation. Based on a Newtonian method, the in-plane equation of motion of this curved pipe is derived. Then a set of discrete equations in spatial space obtained by the differential quadrature method (DQM) is solved numerically. Emphasis is placed on the possible dynamical behaviour of the curved pipe conveying fluid. The numerical results show that the pipe without motion-limiting constraints but with a harmonic force behaves as an ordinary linear system. If, however, the pipe is subjected to cubic motion-limiting constraints, nonlinear dynamic phenomena of the system will occur. Calculations of bifurcation diagrams, phase-plane portraits, time responses, power spectrum diagrams, and Poincaré maps of the oscillations clearly demonstrate the existence of chaotic and quasiperiodic motions. Moreover, it is shown that the route to chaos is via a sequence of period-doubling bifurcations.