Nonlinear wave analysis for layered inhomogeneous elastic tubes

Abstract. In this paper group properties are investigated for the nonlinear flow in fluid lled elastic tubes. Under suitable conditions and using canonical variables the governing system has been written in autonomous form. The evolution law for amplitude discontinuities has been investigated and critical time has been discussed. Futhermore, the propagation of weak discontinuities has been considered through a layered half space. The amplitude of the transmitted and reflected discontinuities across each layer is determined in terms of the initial conditions. Then the critical time in each layer has been calculated.