Response of Composite Shells with Cutouts to Internal Pressure and Compression Loads

Abstract

Results from a numerical study of the response of composite shells with cutouts and subjected to internal pressure and axial compression are presented. The numerical results are obtained using a geometrically nonlinear finite element code. Results for axial compression and combined internal pressure and axial compression are presented. The effects of varying internal pressure and cutout size on the prebuckling, buckling, and postbuckling responses of the shell are described. Results indicate that the nonlinear interaction between destabilizing in-plane compressive resultant stresses and out-of-plane dispiacements near the cutout can cause a local buckling response to occur near the cutout. The local load distributions and displacements near the cutout can be affected by the size of the cutout and by the internal pressure load. Numerical results indicate that the buckling load decreases as the size of the cutout is increased. In addition, the results indicate that the buckling load increases as the internal pressure is increased.