Large deflections of deep orthotropic spherical shells under radial concentrated load: asymptotic solution

Nonlinear behavior of deep orthotropic spherical shells under inward radial concentrated load is studied. The singular perturbation method is developed and applied to Reissner’s equations describing axially symmetric large deflections of thin shells of revolution. A small parameter proportional to the ratio of shell thickness to the sphere radius is used. The simple asymptotic formulas describing load–deflection diagrams, maximum bending and membrane stresses of the structure are derived. The influence of boundary conditions on the behavior of the shell by large deflections is considered. Obtained asymptotic solution is in close agreement with the experimental and numerical results and has the same accuracy (in the asymptotic meaning) as the given equations of nonlinear theory of thin shells.