On shear correction factors in the non-linear theory of elastic shells

Theoretical values of two correction factors α_s = 5/6 and α_t = 7/10 are established for the respective transverse shear stress resultants and stress couples within the general, dynamically and kinematically exact, six-field theory of elastic shells. These values do not depend on the shell material symmetry, geometry of the base surface, the shell thickness, or any kind of kinematic and/or dynamic constraints. The analysis is based on the complementary energy density following from the transverse shear stresses acting only on the shell cross section. The appropriate quadratic and cubic distributions of the stresses across the thickness allow one to derive the consistent constitutive equations for the transverse shear stress resultants and stress couples with α_s and α_t as the respective correction factors. Four numerical examples of highly non-linear shell structures illustrate the influence of different values of α_s and α_t on the results. In particular, some influence of α_t is noticed on the placement of bifurcation points. In dynamic problem of flight of three intersecting plates analysed with Newmark-type temporal algorithm, the value of α_t influences the moment at which the relative error of total energy of the system begins to grow indefinitely leading to the solution failure.     

On the energy method in the non-linear theory of thin plates

Summary The equilibrium configuration of a thin plate under normal pressure is studied. A variational non-linear treatment of the problem is considered, taking into account the bending stresses and allowing large deflections.Existence, uniqueness, and regularity of solutions are obtained.

---

Sommario Si studia il problema non lineare della configurazione di equilibrio di una piastra sottile caricata normalmente nel suo piano medio, tenendo conto delle tensioni di natura flessionale e in un regime di spostamenti moderatamente grandi.Con una tecnica variazionale si studiano l'esistenza, l'unicità, e la regolarità delle soluzioni del problema.

     

A version of applied theory of thick shells

A version of an applied theory of shells of large thickness based on the introduction of force and kinematic hypotheses completing and extending the set of Love-Kirchhoff and Timoshenko-Reissner hypotheses is discussed. The complete system of equations including the elasticity relations, the geometric relations (displacements and strains), and the equilibrium equations is written out. The obtained system of equations is verified in several special cases. It is noted that the error of this theory does not exceed the squared thickness-to-radius ratio compared with unity.     

On consistent first approximations in the general linear theory of thin elastic shells

Summary This paper, as a number of earlier ones, is concerned with the rational establishment of twodimensional differential equations for the approximate analysis of stress and strain in elastic layers with spacecurved middle surface. It has been known for some time that the principal difficulty of this problem is to establish rational two-dimensional constitutive equations which correspond to a given system of constitutive equations for the layer treated as a three-dimensional continuum. — In an earlier publication [18] the point had been made that since two-dimensional shell theory was concerned with stress resultants and stress couples, it ought to be advantageous to derive such a theory from a three-dimensional theory in which force stresses as well as moment stresses were incorporated, even for media which, actually, were incapable of supporting moment stresses. — The earlier work [18] had indicated that, mathematically, the advantages of approaching the derivation of two-dimensional shell theory from three-dimensional moment stress elastically theory had to do with the form of the compatibility equations for strain in such a three-dimensional theory. Briefly, with these three-dimensional compatibility equations it becomes possible to concentrate all three-dimensional aspects of the shell problem in a three-dimensional system of integro-differential constitutive equations, and the task of deriving rational two-dimensional constitutive equations becomes nothing but the task of establishing suitable asymptotic expansions for the solutions of these three-dimensional integro-differential equations. In the work in [18] this task had not actually been carried out. The present paper establishes a significant rearrangement of the system of integro-differential equations, in such a way that the nature of the necessary asymptotic expansions is made evident. — With this, explicit results are obtained which include the system of two-dimensional constitutive equations of Koiter and Sanders for an iotropic homogeneous medium, as well as a system of constitutive equations for a class of shells for which the normals to the middle surface are not directions of elastic symmetry, as well as a system of constitutive equations for shells which are sufficiently soft in transverse shear to make transverse shear deformation a first-order effect.

---

Übersicht In dieser Veröffentlichung wird die rationelle Aufstellung der zweidimensionalen Differentialgleichungen für die näherungsweise Bestimmung von Spannungen und Verformungen in elastischen Schichten mit räumlich gekrümmter Mittelfläche behandelt. Es ist bekannt, daß die Hauptschwierigkeit dabei im Aufstellen von zweidimensionalen Stoffgleichungen besteht, die einem gegebenen System von Stoffgleichungen für eine als dreidimensionales Kontinuum behandelten Schicht entsprechen. In einer früheren Veröffentlichung [18] wurde darauf hingewiesen, daß es vorteilhaft sein könnte, eine solche Theorie aus einer dreidimensionalen Theorie abzuleiten, in der sowohl Momentspannungen als auch Kraftspannungen berücksichtigt werden. Das gilt auch für solche Stoffe, die in Wirklichkeit nicht in der Lage sind, Momentenspannungen aufzunehmen. — Es wurde seinerzeit gezeigt, daß die Vorteile einer Ableitung der genäherten zweidimensionalen Schalentheorie aus der dreidimensionalen Elastizitätstheorie mit der Form der Verträglichkeitsbedingungen für die Verformungen in dieser dreidimensionalen Theorie zusammenhängen. Mit Hilfe dieser dreidimensionalen Verträglichkeitsbedingungen wird es möglich, alle dreidimensionalen Aspekte des Schalenproblems in einem dreidimensionalen System von Integro-Differentialgleichungen für das Stoffverhalten zu konzentrieren, so daß die Ableitung zweidimensionaler Stoffgleichungen nichts anderes ist, als das Aufstellen geeigneter asymptotischer Reihenentwicklungen für die Lösungen dieser dreidimensionalen Integro-Differentialgleichungen. Das wurde jedoch in [18] noch nicht ausgeführt. In der vorliegenden Veröffentlichung wird das System der Integro-Diffe-rentialgleichungen so umgeformt, daß die Art der notwendigen asymptotischen Entwicklungen deutlich wird. Auf diese Weise werden explizite Ergebnisse erhalten, die das System der zweidimensionalen Stoffgleichungen von Koiter und Sanders für ein isotropes homogenes Medium einschließen. Desgleichen sind darin enthalten die Stoffgleichungen für eine Klasse von Schalen, für die die Normalen zur Mittelfläche nicht mit den Richtungen der elastischen Symmetrie übereinstimmen, sowie auch die Stoffgleichungen für Schalen, die hinreichend weich gegenüber Querschub sind, so daß Querschubdeformationen als Effekte erster Ordnung auftreten.

---

---

A report on work supported by the Office of Naval Research, Washington, D.C.     

Variational theory of thin shells and panels

Summary A comprehensive theory is developed for elastic thin shells and panels of arbitrary shape and load conditions, including the effect of large transverse displacements, non uniform temperature distributions and initial imperfections. A single variational principle is derived, that comprehends both equilibrium and compatibility conditions. In the Appendix an example of the application of such a principle is carried out.     

On the linear and nonlinear stability analysis in the theory of thin elastic shells

Summary In the frame of the geometrically nonlinear theory of thin elastic shells with moderate rotations a set of consistent equations for the nonlinear stability analysis is derived by application of energy criteria. Some methods of functional analysis are used which enable to prove the symmetry of the stability equations and to calculate bifurcation buckling from linear and nonlinear equilibrium branches and also snap-through buckling loads by variational approximating procedures.

---

Über die lineare und nichtlineare Stabilitätsberechnung in der Theorie dünner elastischer Schalen

Übersicht Im Rahmen einer geometrisch-nichtlinearen Theorie dünner Schalen mit moderaten Rotationen werden konsistente Gleichungen zur nichtlinearen Stabilitätsberechnung hergeleitet, wobei von Energiekriterien ausgegangen wird. Die Benutzung einiger Methoden der Funktionalanalysis ermöglicht den Nachweis der Symmetrie der Stabilitätsgleichungen und die Berechnung des Verzweigungs-Beulproblems bei linearen und nichtlinearen Gleichgewichtszuständen sowie die Bestimmung der kritischen Last beim Durchschlagproblem mit Hilfe variationeller Näherungsverfahren.

---

---

Lecture: XVth Inter. Congr. Theor. Appl. Mech., Toronto/Canada, 17.–23. Aug. 1980

---

The author is indepted to Docent Dr. habil. W. Pietraszkiewicz, Institute of Fluid-Flow Machinery Gdask, for valuable remarks and the Polish Academy of Science for continuous support.     

A function theory for thin elastic shells

It is well known in the theory of elastic shells that a first order approximation using the shell thickness as an expansion parameter leads to the membrane theory of shells. The membrane equations have as solutions thegeneralized analytic functions. These functions have been exhaustively studied by Ilya N. Vekua [6], [7] and his students. R.P. Gilbert and J. Hile [3] introduced an extension of these systems to include elliptic systems of 2n equations in the plane and named the solutions of these systemsgeneralized hyperanalytic functions.It is shown in this paper that the next order approximation to the shell, which permits, moreover, the introduction of bending, may be described in terms of the generalized hyperanalytic functions. It is strongly suspected that the higher order approximations may also be described in terms of corresponding hypercomplex systems.     

Variational principles in the geometrically non-linear theory of shells undergoing moderate rotations

Summary A general approach to the derivation of variational principles is given for the geometrically non-linear theory of thin elastic shells undergoing moderate rotations. Starting from the principle of virtual displacements, a set of sixteen basic free functionals without subsidiary conditions is constructed. From these free functionals a, number of related functionals with or without subsidiary conditions may be generated. As examples, the functionals of the total potential energy and the total complementary energy are derived.

---

Übersicht Die vorliegende Arbeit enthält eine systematische Herleitung von Variationsprinzipen für die geometrisch nichtlineare Theorie dünner elastischer Schalen, in der die Quadrate der Rotationen von gleicher Größenordnung wie die Dehnungen sein können. Ausgehend vom Prinzip der virtuellen Verschiebungen wird eine Familie von sechzehn freien Funktionalen hergeleitet, die keinen Nebenbedingungen unterliegen. Von diesen freien Funktionalen kann eine Vielzahl verwandter Funktionale mit oder ohne Nebenbedingungen abgeleitet werden. Als Beispiele werden die Prinzipe vom stationären Wert des Gesamtpotentials und der komplementären Energie angegeben.

---

---

This work was prepared under an Agreement on Scientific Cooperation between the Institute of Fluid-Flow Machinery of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Gdask and the Institut für Mechanik of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum, FRG     

On local buckling of thin shells

A class of problems is considered where the buckling initially starts only in a part of the shell—locally. The stability analysis is focused on the zone of initial buckling. This leads to radical simplification. First the basic hypothesis and stability equations are formulated. Closed-form stability criteria asymptotically exact for very thin shells are discussed. This gives sufficient conditions for the local character of buckling and for the adequacy of the asymptotic approximation. The analysis taking into account the variation of stresses and shape inside the buckling zone results in a check of stability by hand calculations or by simple coding of a desk-top computer. The adequacy of the simplest representation of the stress and strain variation in the buckling zone is tested.     

Exact resultant equilibrium conditions in the non-linear theory of branching and self-intersecting shells

We formulate the exact, resultant equilibrium conditions for the non-linear theory of branching and self-intersecting shells. The conditions are derived by performing direct through-the-thickness integration in the global equilibrium conditions of continuum mechanics. At each regular internal and boundary point of the base surface our exact, local equilibrium equations and dynamic boundary conditions are equivalent, as expected, to the ones known in the literature. As the new equilibrium relations we derive the exact, resultant dynamic continuity conditions along the singular surface curve modelling the branching and self-intersection as well as the dynamic conditions at singular points of the surface boundary. All the results do not depend on the size of shell thicknesses, internal through-the-thickness shell structure, material properties, and are valid for an arbitrary deformation of the shell material elements.     

A polar theory for vibrations of thin elastic shells

In relation to a polar continuum, this paper presents a 2-D shear deformable theory for the high frequency vibrations of a thin elastic shell. To begin with, the 3-D fundamental equations of the micropolar elastic continuum are expressed as the Euler–Lagrange equations of a unified variational principle. Next, the kinematic variables of the shell are represented by the power series expansions in its thickness coordinate, and then, they are used to establish the 2-D theory by means of the variational principle. The 2-D theory is derived in invariant variational and differential forms and governs all the types of vibrations of the functionally graded micropolar shell. Lastly, the uniqueness is investigated in solutions of the initial mixed boundary value problems defined by the 2-D theory, and some of special cases are indicated in the theory.     

Canonical equations in the geometrically nonlinear theory of thin anisotropic shells

The functional in the principle of minimum potential energy of layered anisotropic shells with a nonlinear relationship between strains and displacements is transformed into a canonical integral that coincides with the functional in the Reissner principle. Partial forms of the functional are derived for problem formulations where the dimension can be reduced with respect to one of the coordinates. The canonical system of equations is linearized and then normalized. The boundary-value problem is solved by the numerical discrete-orthogonalization method. An anisotropic spherical shell under external compression is analyzed for stability as an example     

On buckling of axisymmetric thin elastic-plastic shells

A buckling criterion for shells with an axisymmetric middle surface and subjected to edge loads and hydrostatic surface pressure loading is formulated starting from Hill's three-dimensional continuum theory for uniqueness of deformation of inelastic solids. It turns out that a physically consistent two-dimensional set of equations may be derived for a quite general class of strain-hardening elastic-plastic solids, the only essential restriction being that of a smooth yield function. The intrinsic errors inherent in the derived rate equations, being an integral part of an eigenvalue problem, are discussed in relation to a circular cylinder under axial compression. Analytical results are given which illustrate the influence of the constitutive properties and the boundary contraints on the magnitude of the critical load.     

On a theory of inflatable shells

A theory of inflatable, incompressible shells is deduced from the general theory of small deformations superposed upon finite deformations. The new aspects of this study, as compared to earlier attacks upon the problem, concern the inclusion of bending effects during inflation and a simple treatment of normal traction.