Strength and Response of Cylindrical Composite Shells Subjected to Out-of-Plane Loadings

An investigation was performed to study the response of cylindrical composite shells subjected to out-of-plane loads. During the investigation, an analytical model was devel oped to predict the mechanical behavior of the structures from the initial failure, through post-failure, to the final collapse. The model is also capable of predicting the residual stiffness and strength of the structures after a preload. Basically, the model consists of a structural analysis for calculating the global response of the structures, and a failure analysis for predicting local damage of the structures and their residual stiffnesses and strengths. A nonlinear finite element code based on the updated Lagrangian formulation was developed for the model. To verify the model, experiments were also conducted. An excellent agreement was found between the computer simulations and the test results. It is expected that the model can be extended to more complicated structures with various load ing conditions.