Uncertainty quantification of sloshing motion in partially filled rectangular tanks

Abstract

Increasing computing power has made it not only possible but also highly practical to apply the Monte Carlo technique to a large variety of engineering problems. In this paper, the Monte-Carlo technique is used for calculating the statistical properties of inviscid incompressible fluid partially filled in a rectangular tank. First, uncertainty in the slosh and acoustic modes is estimated considering the gravitational forces and bulk modulus of the fluid as random variables. Second, uncertainty in the vibration frequencies in the rectangular tank with a baffle fixed inside it is studied. Later, linear slosh wave response analysis is carried out considering uncertainty in the external forcing function. Numerical results of the dynamic analyses show that the local minima and maxima of the slosh wave heights shift in time due to uncertainties in the frequency, whereas the local minima and maxima of the slosh wave heights change in magnitude only at a given time due to uncertainties in the amplitude. It is also found that the baffle, which is typically used to create desirable mode shifts, can also lead to increase in dispersion of the slosh and acoustic frequencies due to uncertainty.