Stressed state and energy capacity of rotating shells built from composites wound along geodesic trajectories

Abstract

1. Rotating hollow shells wound along geodesic trajectories are significantly inferior in mass energy capacity to uniformly stressed shells and thin rings. 2. Specifications for a rim/cellular-shell design, which is wound along the geodesic trajectory, place significant restrictions on the dimensions of the polar openings of the shells and permissible relationships between the material properties of the rim and shell. In terms of specific mass energy capacity, possible designs with a stiffer rim provide for 0.71–0.73 of the corresponding characteristic of a thin-wall ring. This value is reduced in the absence of vigorous interaction between the rim and shell.