A new displacement-type stability equation and general stability analysis of laminated composite circular conical shells with triangular grid stiffeners

In this paper, based on the theory of Donnell-type shallow shell, a new displacement-type stability equations is first developed for laminated composite circular conical shells with triangular grid stiffeners by using the variational calculus and generalized smeared-stiffener theory. The most general bending stretching couplings, the effect of eccentricity of stiffeners are considered. Then, for general stability of composite triangular grid stiffened conical shells without twist coupling terms, the approximate formulas are obtained for critical external pressure by using Galerkin's procedure. Numerical examples for a certain C/E composite conical shells with inside triangular grid stiffeners are calculated and the results are in good agreement with the experimental data. Finally, the influence of some parameters on critical external pressure is studied. The stability equations developed and the formulas for critical external pressure obtained in this paper should be very useful in the astronautical engineering design.