Study of nonlinear deformation and stability of discretely reinforced elliptic cylindrical shells in transverse bending

A finite-element method for solving problems of nonlinear deformation and stability of nonuniformly discretely reinforced noncircular cylindrical shells is considered. An effective computer algorithm for the study of shells is developed. Stability of stringer cylindrical shells with an elliptical cross section in transverse bending is examined. The effect of ellipticity, nonlinearity of shell deformation at the subcritical stage, reinforcement discreteness, and heterogeneity on shell stability is determined.