Asymptotic finite strip analysis of doubly curved laminated shells

Abstract

On the basis of the Hellinger–Reissner (H–R) principle, an asymptotic finite strip method (FSM) for the analysis of doubly curved laminated shells is presented by means of perturbation. In the formulation the displacements and transverse stresses are taken as the functions subject to variation. Imposition of the stationary condition of the H–R functional, the weak formulation associated with the Euler–Lagrange equations of three-dimensional (3D) elasticity is obtained. Upon introducing a set of appropriate dimensionless scaling and bringing the transverse shear deformations to the stage at the leading-order level, the weak formulation is asymptotically expanded as a series of weak-form equations for various orders. An asymptotic FSM according to the present formulation is then developed where the field variables are interpolated as a finite series of products of trigonometric functions and crosswise polynomial functions independently. Through successive integration, the present formulation turns out that three mid-surface displacement degrees-of-freedom (DOF) and two rotation DOF for each node in a strip element are taken as the independent unknowns in the system equations for various orders. The solution procedure for the leading-order level can be repeatedly applied level-by-level in a consistent and hierarchic way. Application of the asymptotic FSM to a benchmark problem is demonstrated.