Large deflections of shells subjected to an external load and temperature changes

Shell stability in geometrically nonlinear range is considered. Influence of the temperature change on the value of the critical force is examined. The whole analysis is performed numerically using the Finite Element Method. To solve the problem, nonlinear equilibrium paths for given temperature change and various load values must be calculated. These are cross-sections of the nonlinear equilibrium surface. From such paths the critical value of the load for given temperature change can be determined and stability boundary can be found as the main purpose of the procedure. The detailed numerical analysis was performed in reference to the semi cylindrical shell segment subjected to temperature changes and loaded by the concentrated force. Copyright © 1997 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.