Strain energy expression for large deformations of isotropic elastic shells subjected to arbitrary temperature distribution

Abstract

A general strain energy expression for large deflections of thin isotropic elastic shells is derived, including the effects of heating. With this expression, the thermal buckling and post-buckling behavior of heated shells may be treated. The results are specialized for circular cylindrical shells, for spherical shells and for right-circular conical shells. Important applications of thetheory presented occur with high-speed aircraft and rocket structures and with nuclear reactor structures.