Numerical Investigations on Bearing Capacity of Grid-Stiffened Cylindrical Shells Subjected to Local Laser Irradiation

Abstract

Grid-stiffened cylindrical shells are widely applied in aviation and aerospace engineering. Bearing capacities of grid-stiffened cylindrical shells will be reduced by local heating. In this study, numerical simulation method is applied to deduce the temperature distribution of the grid-stiffened cylindrical shells subjected to high power laser irradiation. Temperature dependent aluminum alloy properties are fully considered in the process of numerical simulation. Comparing to smooth thin-wall cylindrical shells, the effect of ribs size to temperature distribution is studied. As the material properties varying with temperature, the temperature rising rate is higher at the initial period when cylindrical shell is subjected to laser irradiation. The temperature rising rate gradually reduces with irradiation time increasing. Buckling analysis was performed to obtain the buckling bearing capacity and the effect of local heating on grid-stiffened cylindrical shells subjected to local heating.