Stainless-steel gastronorm (GN) containers, commonly used in food-service operations, are widely employed for food storage, handling, and transportation. However, despite their extensive industrial utilization, scientific studies addressing their structural dynamics and modal behavior remain very limited. The aim of this study is to identify the modal parameters of the GN container in two distinct states: empty and filled with 10 liters of water. In parallel, a finite element model accounting for the thin-walled geometry of the container is developed to enable numerical simulation of its dynamic behavior. Numerical results are compared with experimental data, and the model is subsequently updated to achieve strong correlation between numerical and experimental modal parameters. The results show that the first natural frequency of the empty container is 133.2 Hz, corresponding to the torsion of the rim. Filling the container with 10 liters of water causes a significant decrease in this frequency to 54.1 Hz and leads to a modification of the mode shape. The obtained results provide deeper insight into the vibration behavior of GN containers and confirm the suitability of combining experimental and numerical approaches for the analysis of thin-walled structures used in food-service applications.
Science Journal 