Buckling prediction for shallow convex shells based on the analysis of nonlinear oscillations

Buckling problems of thin elastic shells have become relevant again because of the discrepancies between the standards in many countries on how to estimate loads causing buckling of shallow shells and the results of the experiments on thinwalled aviation structures made of high-strength alloys. The main contradiction is as follows: the ultimate internal stresses at shell buckling (collapsing) turn out to be lower than the ones predicted by the adopted design theory used in the USA and European standards. The current regulations are based on the static theory of shallow shells that was put forward in the 1930s: within the nonlinear theory of elasticity for thin-walled structures there are stable solutions that significantly differ from the forms of equilibrium typical to small initial loads. The minimum load (the lowest critical load) when there is an alternative form of equilibrium was used as a maximum permissible one. In the 1970s it was recognized that this approach is unacceptable for complex loadings. Such cases were not practically relevant in the past while now they occur with thinner structures used under complex conditions. Therefore, the initial theory on bearing capacity assessments needs to be revised. The recent mathematical results that proved asymptotic proximity of the estimates based on two analyses (the three-dimensional dynamic theory of elasticity and the dynamic theory of shallow convex shells) could be used as a theory basis. This paper starts with the setting of the dynamic theory of shallow shells that comes down to one resolving integrodifferential equation (once the special Green function is constructed). It is shown that the obtained nonlinear equation allows for separation of variables and has numerous time-period solutions that meet the Duffing equation with “a soft spring”. This equation has been thoroughly studied; its numerical analysis enables finding an amplitude and an oscillation period depending on the properties of the Green function. If the shell is oscillated with the trial time-harmonic load, the movement of the surface points could be measured at the maximum amplitude. The study proposes an experimental set-up where resonance oscillations are generated with the trial load normal to the surface. The experimental measurements of the shell movements, the amplitude and the oscillation period make it possible to estimate the safety factor of the structure bearing capacity with non-destructive methods under operating conditions.