Thin shells are very popular structures in many different branches of engineering. There are the domes, water and cooling towers, the contain ments in civil engineering, the pressure vessels and pipes in mechanical and nuclear engineering, storage tanks and platform components in marine and offshore engineering, the car bodies in the automobile industry, planes, rockets and space structures in aeronautical engineering, to mention only a few examples of the broad spectrum of application. In addition there is the large applied mechanics group involved in all the computational and experimental work in this area. Thin shells are in a way optimal structures. They play the role of·the "primadonnas" among all kinds of structures. Their performance can be extraordinary, but they can also be very sensitive. The susceptibility to buckling is a typical example. David Bushnell says in his recent review paper entitled "Buckling of Shells - Pitfall for DeSigners": "To the layman buckling is a mysterious, perhaps even awe inspiring phenomenon that transforms objects originally imbued with symmetrical beauty into junk".

Thin-walled metal shell structures are highly efficient in their use of material, but they are particularly sensitive to failure by buckiling. Many different forms of buckling can occur for different geometries and different loading conditions. Because this field of knowledge is both complex and industrially important, it is of great interest and concern in a wide range of industries. This book presents a compilation and synthesis of a wealth of research, experience and knowledge of the subject. Information that was previously widely scattered throughout the literature is assembled in a concise and convenient form that is easy to understand, and state-of-the-art research findings are thoroughly examined. This book is useful for those involved in the structural design of silos, tanks, pipelines, biodigestors, chimneys, towers, offshore platforms, aircraft and spacecraft. Buckling of Thin Metal Shells is essential reading for designers, researchers and code writers involved with thin-walled metal shell structures.

This book attempts to bring the essence of shell structures within the grasp of engineers. It tackles the fundamental question of how bending and stretching effects combine and interact in shell structures from a physical point of view; and shows that this approach leads to an understanding of the structural mechanics of shells in general.

This book provides an in-depth treatment of the study of the stability of engineering structures. Contributions from internationally recognized leaders in the field ensure a wide coverage of engineering disciplines in which structural stability is of importance, in particular the analytical and numerical modelling of structural stability applied to aeronautical, civil, marine and offshore structures. The results from a number of comprehensive experimental test programs are also presented, thus enhancing our understanding of stability phenomena as well as validating the analytical and computational solution schemes presented. A variety of structural materials are investigated with special emphasis on carbon-fibre composites, which are being increasingly utilized in weight-critical structures. Instabilities at the meso- and micro-scales are also discussed. This book will be particularly relevant to professional engineers, graduate students and researchers interested in structural stability.

This book contains eight chapters treating the stability of all major areas of the flexural theory. It covers the stability of structures under mechanical and thermal loads and all areas of structural, loading and material types. The structural element may be assumed to be made of a homogeneous/isotropic material, or of a functionally graded material. Structures may experience the bifurcation phenomenon, or they may follow the postbuckling path. This volume explains all these aspects in detail. The book is self-contained and the necessary mathematical concepts and numerical methods are presented in such a way that the reader may easily follow the topics based on these basic tools. It is intended for people working or interested in areas of structural stability under mechanical and/or thermal loads. Some basic knowledge in classical mechanics and theory of elasticity is required.

The study of buckling loads, which often hinges on numerical methods, is key in designing structural elements. But the need for analytical solutions in addition to numerical methods is what drove the creation of Exact Solutions for Buckling of Structural Members. It allows readers to assess the reliability and accuracy of solutions obtained by nume

This book is a collection of recent reprints and new material on fundamentally nonlinear problems in structural systems which demonstrate localized responses to continuous inputs. It has two intended audiences. For mathematicians and physicists it should provide useful new insights into a classical yet rapidly developing area of application of the rich subject of dynamical systems theory. For workers in structural and solid mechanics it introduces a new methodology for dealing with structural localization and the related topic of the generation of solitary waves. Applications range from classical problems such as the buckling of cylindrical shells, twisted rods and pipelines, to the folding of geological strata, the failure of sandwich structures and the propagation of solitary waves in suspended beam systems.

Discover the theory of structural stability and its applications in crucial areas in engineering Structural Stability Theory and Practice: Buckling of Columns, Beams, Plates, and Shells combines necessary information on structural stability into a single, comprehensive resource suitable for practicing engineers and students alike. Written in both US and SI units, this invaluable guide is perfect for readers within and outside of the US. Structural Stability Theory and Practice: Buckling of Columns, Beams, Plates, and Shell offers: Detailed and patiently developed mathematical derivations and thorough explanations Energy methods that are incorporated throughout the chapters Connections between theory, design specifications and solutions The latest codes and standards from the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), Canadian Standards Association (CSA), Australian Standards (SAA), Structural Stability Research Council (SSRC), and Eurocode 3 Solved and unsolved practice-oriented problems in every chapter, with a solutions manual for unsolved problems included for instructors Ideal for practicing professionals in civil, mechanical, and aerospace engineering, as well as upper-level undergraduates and graduate students in structural engineering courses, Structural Stability Theory and Practice: Buckling of Columns, Beams, Plates, and Shell provides readers with detailed mathematical derivations along with thorough explanations and practical examples.

This book is written primarily for professional engineers interested in designing plate and shell structures. It covers basic aspects of theories and gives examples for the design of components due to internal and external loads as well as other loads, such as wind and dead loads. Various derivations are kept relatively simple and the resultant equations are simplified to a level where the engineer can apply them directly to design problems. More elaborate derivations and more general equations can be found in the literature for those interested in a more in-depth knowledge of the theories of plates and shells. The examples given throughout this book are intended to show the engineer the level of analysis needed to achieve a safe design based on a given required degree of accuracy. This book is also appropriate for advanced engineering courses.

The design of many structures such as pressure vessels, aircrafts, bridge decks, dome roofs, and missiles is based on the theories of plates and shells. The degree of simplification needed to adopt the theories to the design of various structures depends on the type of structure and the re quired accuracy of the results. Hence, a water storage tank can be satis factorily designed using the membrane shell theory, which disregards all bending moments, whereas the design of a missile casing requires a more precise analysis in order to minimize weight and materials. Similarly, the design of a nozzle-to-cylinder junction in a nuclear reactor may require a sophisticated finite element analysis to prevent fatigue failure while the same junction in an air accumulator in a gas station is designed by simple equations that satisfy equilibrium conditions. Accordingly, this book is written for engineers interested in the theories of plates and shells and their proper application to various structures. The examples given throughout the book subsequent to derivation of various theories are intended to show the engineer the level of analysis required to achieve a safe design with a given degree of accuracy. The book covers three general areas. These are: bending of plates; membrane and bending theories of shells; and buckling of plates and shells. Bending of plates is discussed in five chapters. Chapters 1 and 2 cover rectangular plates with various boundary and loading conditions.