Stability and Vibration Behavior of Composite Cylindrical Shell Panels Under Axial Compression and Secondary Loads

The nonlinear static response and vibration behavior of cross-ply laminated cylindrical shell panels subjected to axial compression combined with other secondary loading are examined. The shell theory adopted in the present case is based on a higher-order shallow shell theory, includes geometric imperfection and von Kármán-type geometric nonlinearity. The solutions to the governing nonlinear partial differential equations are sought using the multiterm Galerkin technique. The nonlinear equilibrium paths through limit points and bifurcation points are traced using the Newton–Raphson method coupled with the Riks approach. The free vibration frequencies of post-buckled cylindrical panels about the static equilibrium state are reported by solving the associated linear eigenvalue problem. Results are presented for simply supported cross-ply laminated cylindrical shell panels, which illustrates the influence of initial geometric imperfection, temperature field, lateral pressure loads, and mechanical edge loads on the static response and vibration behavior of the shell panel.