Numerical and Analytical Approaches to the Stability Analysis of Imperfect Shells

Two new approaches are proposed for the numerical and analytical stability analyses of imperfect shells. One approach is based on the generalized mesh method, whereas the other employs a modified reduced-stiffness method. Both approaches apply to shells with initial geometrical imperfections. Numerical results are compared with experimental data for shells with a single dent. Analytical results are also presented and compared