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At least 181 records · Page 10

Detection of an expanding H I shell in the old supernova remnant CTB 80

An expanding H I shell associated with the SNR CTB 80 has been detected. The expansion velocity and size indicate that the H I shell is an SNR shell. The center, shape, and mass of the shell match those of the IR shell detected by Fesen et al. (1988), supporting the idea that the pulsar has caught up with the SW portion of the shell and has produced its peculiar radio morphology. The shell's large 60 to 100 micron ratio implies that the larger grains may have been preferentially destroyed by the shock.

Koo, Bon-Chul↗

The Strength of Shell and Tubular Spar Wings

The report is a survey of the strength problems arising on shell and tubular spar wings. The treatment of the shell wing strength is primarily confined to those questions which concern the shell wing only; those pertaining to both shell wing and shell body together have already been treated in TM 838. The discussion of stress condition and compressive strength of shell wings and tubular spar wings is prefaced by several considerations concerning the spar and shell design of metal wings from the point of view of strength.

Ebner, H↗

Laminated Thin Shell Structures Subjected to Free Vibration in a Hygrothermal Environment

Parametric studies were performed to assess the effects of various parameters on the free-vibration behavior (natural frequencies) of (+/- theta)(sub 2) angle-ply, fiber composite, thin shell structures in a hygrothermal environment. Knowledge of the natural frequencies of structures is important in considering their response to various kinds of excitation, especially when structures and force systems are complex and when excitations are not periodic. The three dimensional, finite element structural analysis computer code CSTEM was used in the Cray YMP computer environment. The fiber composite shell was assumed to be cylindrical and made from T300 graphite fibers embedded in an intermediate-modulus, high-strength matrix. The following parameters were investigated: the length and the laminate thickness of the shell, the fiber orientation, the fiber volume fraction, the temperature profile through the thickness of the laminate, and laminates with different ply thicknesses. The results indicate that the fiber orientation and the length of the laminated shell had significant effects on the natural frequencies. The fiber volume fraction, the laminate thickness, and the temperature profile through the shell thickness had weak effects on the natural frequencies. Finally, the laminates with different ply thicknesses had an insignificant influence on the behavior of the vibrated laminated shell. Also, a single through-the-thickness, eight-node, three dimensional composite finite element analysis appears to be sufficient for investigating the free-vibration behavior of thin, composite, angle-ply shell structures.

Gotsis, Pascal K.↗

Bending Boundary Layers in Laminated-Composite Circular Cylindrical Shells

An analytical, parametric study of the attenuation of bending boundary layers or edge effects in balanced and unbalanced, symmetrically and unsymmetrically laminated thin cylindrical shells is presented for nine contemporary material systems. The analysis is based on the linear Sanders-Koiter shell equations and specializations to the Love-Kirchhoff shell equations and Donnell's equations are included. Two nondimensional parameters are identified that characterize and quantify the effects of laminate orthotropy and laminate anisotropy on the bending boundary-layer decay length in a very general and encompassing manner. A substantial number of structural design technology results are presented for a wide range of laminated-composite cylinders. For all the laminate constructions considered, the results show that the differences between results that were obtained with the Sanders-Koiter shell equations, the Love-Kirchhoff shell equations, and Donnell's equations are negligible. The results also show that the effect of anisotropy in the form of coupling between pure bending and twisting has a negligible effect on the size of the bending boundary-layer decay length of the balanced, symmetrically laminated cylinders considered. Moreover, the results show that coupling between the various types of shell anisotropies has a negligible effect on the calculation of the bending boundary-layer decay length in most cases. The results also show that in some cases neglecting the shell anisotropy results in underestimating the bending boundary-layer decay length and in other cases it results in an overestimation.

Nemeth, Michael P.↗

Bending Boundary Layers in Laminated-Composite Circular Cylindrical Shells

A study of the attenuation of bending boundary layers in balanced and unbalanced, symmetrically and unsymmetrically laminated cylindrical shells is presented for nine contemporary material systems. The analysis is based on the linear Sanders-Koiter shell equations and specializations to the Love-Kirchhoff shell equations and Donnell's equations are included. Two nondimensional parameters are identified that characterize the effects of laminate orthotropy and anisotropy on the bending boundary-layer decay length in a very general manner. A substantial number of structural design technology results are presented for a wide range of laminated-composite cylinders. For all laminates considered, the results show that the differences between results obtained with the Sanders-Koiter shell equations, the Love-Kirchhoff shell equations, and Donnell's equations are negligible. The results also show that the effect of anisotropy in the form of coupling between pure bending and twisting has a negligible effect on the size of the bending boundary-layer decay length of the balanced, symmetrically laminated cylinders considered. Moreover, the results show that coupling between the various types of shell anisotropies has a negligible effect on the calculation of the bending boundary-layer decay length in most cases. The results also show that, in some cases, neglecting the shell anisotropy results in underestimating the bending boundary-layer decay length and, in other cases, results in an overestimation.

Nemeth, Michael P.↗

Using High-Fidelity Analysis Methods and Experimental Results to Account for the Effects of Imperfections on the Buckling Response of Composite Shell Structures

The results of an experimental and analytical study of the effects of initial imperfections on the buckling response of unstiffened thin-walled compression-loaded graphite-epoxy cylindrical shells are presented. The analytical results include the effects of traditional and nontraditional initial imperfections and uncertainties in the values of selected shell parameters on the buckling loads of the shells. The nonlinear structural analysis results correlate very well with the experimental results. The high-fidelity nonlinear analysis procedure used to generate the analytical results can also be used to form the basis of a new shell design procedure that could reduce the traditional dependence on empirical results in the shell design process. KEYWORDS: high-fidelity nonlinear structural analysis, composite shells, shell stability, initial imperfections

Starnes, James H., Jr.↗

Probabilistic Dynamic Buckling of Smart Composite Shells

A computational simulation method is presented to evaluate the deterministic and nondeterministic dynamic buckling of smart composite shells. The combined use of composite mechanics, finite element computer codes, and probabilistic analysis enable the effective assessment of the dynamic buckling load of smart composite shells. A universal plot is generated to estimate the dynamic buckling load of composite shells at various load rates and probabilities. The shell structure is also evaluated with smart fibers embedded in the plies right below the outer plies. The results show that, on the average, the use of smart fibers improved the shell buckling resistance by about 10 percent at different probabilities and delayed the buckling occurrence time. The probabilistic sensitivities results indicate that uncertainties in the fiber volume ratio and ply thickness have major effects on the buckling load while uncertainties in the electric field strength and smart material volume fraction have moderate effects. For the specific shell considered in this evaluation, the use of smart composite material is not recommended because the shell buckling resistance can be improved by simply re-arranging the orientation of the outer plies, as shown in the dynamic buckling analysis results presented in this report.

Abumeri, Galib H.↗

Nonlinear Bulging Factors for Longitudinal and Circumferential Cracks in Cylindrical Shells Subjected to Combined Loads

Results of a geometrically nonlinear finite element parametric study to determine curvature correction factors or bulging factors that account for increased crack-tip stresses due to curvature for longitudinal and circumferential cracks in unstiffened cylindrical shells subjected to combined loads are presented. Nondimensional parameters varied in the study include the shell curvature parameter, l , which is a function of the shell radius, the shell wall thickness, and the crack length; a pressure loading parameter, h , which is a function of the shell geometry, material properties and the applied internal pressure; and a biaxial loading parameter, c , which is the ratio of the farfield axial stress to the farfield circumferential stress. The major results are presented in the form of contour plots of the bulging factor as a function of these three nondimensional parameters. These plots identify the ranges of the shell curvature and loading parameters for which the effects of geometric nonlinearity are significant, and show the effect of the biaxial loads on the value of the bulging factor. Simple empirical expressions for the bulging factor are then derived from the numerical results and are shown to predict accurately the nonlinear response of shells with longitudinal and circumferential cracks.

Young, Richard D.↗

Buckling and Stable Tearing Responses of Unstiffened Aluminum Shells with Long Cracks

The results of an analytical and experimental study of the nonlinear response of thin, unstiffened, aluminum cylindrical shells with a long longitudinal crack are presented. The shells are analyzed with a nonlinear shell analysis code that accurately accounts for global and local structural response phenomena. Results are presented for internal pressure and for axial compression loads. The effect of initial crack length on the initiation of stable tearing and unstable crack growth in typical shells subjected to internal pressure loads is predicted using geo- metrically nonlinear elastic-plastic finite element analyses. The results of these analyses and of the experiments indicate that the pressure required to initiate stable tearing and unstable tearing in a shell subjected to internal pressure loads decreases as the crack length increases. The effects of crack length on the prebuckling, buckling and postbuckling responses of typical shells subjected to axial compression are also described. For this loading condition, the crack length is held constant. The results of the analyses illustrate the influence of crack length on shell buckling instabilities. The experimental and analytical results correlate well.

Starnes, James H., Jr.↗

Sound Transmission through Cylindrical Shell Structures Excited by Boundary Layer Pressure Fluctuations

This paper examines sound transmission into two concentric cylindrical sandwich shells subject to turbulent flow on the exterior surface of the outer shell. The interior of the shells is filled with fluid medium and there is an airgap between the shells in the annular space. The description of the pressure field is based on the cross-spectral density formulation of Corcos, Maestrello, and Efimtsov models of the turbulent boundary layer. The classical thin shell theory and the first-order shear deformation theory are applied for the inner and outer shells, respectively. Modal expansion and the Galerkin approach are used to obtain closed-form solutions for the shell displacements and the radiation and transmission pressures in the cavities including both the annular space and the interior. The average spectral density of the structural responses and the transmitted interior pressures are expressed explicitly in terms of the summation of the cross-spectral density of generalized force induced by the boundary layer turbulence. The effects of acoustic and hydrodynamic coincidences on the spectral density are observed. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the method for both subsonic and supersonic flows.

Tang, Yvette Y.↗

Probabilistic Dynamic Buckling of Smart Composite Shells

A computational simulation method is presented to evaluate the deterministic and nondeterministic dynamic buckling of smart composite shells. The combined use of intraply hybrid composite mechanics, finite element computer codes, and probabilistic analysis enable the effective assessment of the dynamic buckling load of smart composite shells. A universal plot is generated to estimate the dynamic buckling load of composite shells at various load rates and probabilities. The shell structure is also evaluated with smart fibers embedded in the plies right next to the outer plies. The results show that, on the average, the use of smart fibers improved the shell buckling resistance by about 10% at different probabilities and delayed the buckling occurrence time. The probabilistic sensitivities results indicate that uncertainties in the fiber volume ratio and ply thickness have major effects on the buckling load while uncertainties in the electric field strength and smart material volume fraction have moderate effects. For the specific shell considered in this evaluation, the use of smart composite material is not recommended because the shell buckling resistance can be improved by simply re-arranging the orientation of the outer plies, as shown in the dynamic buckling analysis results presented in this report.

Chamis, Christos C.↗

Stress Analysis of Bolted, Segmented Cylindrical Shells Exhibiting Flange Mating-Surface Waviness

Bolted, segmented cylindrical shells are a common structural component in many engineering systems especially for aerospace launch vehicles. Segmented shells are often needed due to limitations of manufacturing capabilities or transportation issues related to very long, large-diameter cylindrical shells. These cylindrical shells typically have a flange or ring welded to opposite ends so that shell segments can be mated together and bolted to form a larger structural system. As the diameter of these shells increases, maintaining strict fabrication tolerances for the flanges to be flat and parallel on a welded structure is an extreme challenge. Local fit-up stresses develop in the structure due to flange mating-surface mismatch (flange waviness). These local stresses need to be considered when predicting a critical initial flaw size. Flange waviness is one contributor to the fit-up stress state. The present paper describes the modeling and analysis effort to simulate fit-up stresses due to flange waviness in a typical bolted, segmented cylindrical shell. Results from parametric studies are presented for various flange mating-surface waviness distributions and amplitudes.

Knight, Norman F., Jr.↗

Modified bacterial microcompartment shell proteins

The present invention provides for a fusion protein comprising (1) a bacterial microcompartment (BMC) shell protein comprising one or more subunit, and (2) a first component of a specific-binding pair, operably linked to the BMC shell protein such that the first component faces (i) a lumen (inside) side, or (ii) outside of a BMC shell formed incorporating the fusion protein and the fusion protein does not disrupt or prevent the folding of the BMC shell protein or the ability of the BMC shell protein to integrate with other BMC shell proteins into a BMC shell; wherein the first component is capable of forming a stable or irreversible interaction with a second component of the specific-binding pair.

Hagen, Andrew R.↗

Modified bacterial microcompartment shell protein

The present invention provides for a fusion protein comprising (1) a bacterial microcompartment (BMC) shell protein comprising one or more subunit, and (2) a first component of a specific-binding pair, operably linked to the BMC shell protein such that the first component faces (i) a lumen (inside) side, or (ii) outside of a BMC shell formed incorporating the fusion protein and the fusion protein does not disrupt or prevent the folding of the BMC shell protein or the ability of the BMC shell protein to integrate with other BMC shell proteins into a BMC shell; wherein the first component is capable of forming a stable or irreversible interaction with a second component of the specific-binding pair.

Hagen, Andrew R.↗

Galerkin formulations of isogeometric shell analysis: Alleviating locking with Greville quadratures and higher-order elements

Here we propose new quadrature schemes that asymptotically require only four in-plane points for Reissner–Mindlin shell elements and nine in-plane points for Kirchhoff–Love shell elements in B-spline and NURBS-based isogeometric shell analysis, independent of the polynomial degree p of the elements. The quadrature points are Greville abscissae associated with pth-order B-spline basis functions whose continuities depend on the specific Galerkin formulations, and the quadrature weights are calculated by solving a linear moment fitting problem in each parametric direction. The proposed shell element formulations are shown through numerical studies to be rank sufficient and to be free of spurious modes. The studies reveal comparable accuracy, in terms of both displacement and stress, compared with fully integrated spline-based shell elements, while at the same time reducing storage and computational cost associated with forming element stiffness and mass matrices and force vectors. The high accuracy with low computational cost makes the proposed quadratures along with higher-order spline bases, in particular polynomial orders, p = 5 and 6, good choices for alleviating membrane and shear locking in shells.

42 ENGINEERING↗

BUCKLING AND POST-BUCKLING OF ELASTIC SHELLS

Some theoretical investigations of buckling of elastic shells are surveyed in this report. Only geometrically perfect shells are considered; initial dents and out-of-roundness are not taken into account. Several questions raised by the studies are: (a) Under what conditions is the infinitesimal theory of buckling of shells adequate? (b) How does the energy theory of buckling of shells correlate with the method based on equilibrium equations for bending moments, tensions, and shears in a buckled configuration? (c) How important are nonlinear terms in the tangential displacements u, v in the strain-displacement relations for buckling and post-buckling studies? (d) How important are the boundary conditions for u, v in affecting stability? (e) If a condition of snap-through is approached, how much external work is required to push the shell "over the hump" into the buckled configuration? (f) How reliable are mathematical approximations used previously in the infinitesimal theory of buckling of shells? Tentative and incomplete answers to some of these questions are suggested.

ELASTIC BUCKLING↗

Buckling of Orthotropic and Stiffened Conical Shells

Donnell type stability equations for thin circular orthotropic conical shells are presented and solved for external pressure, axial compression and combined loading. The solution is likewise applied to stiffened conical shells. Correlation with equivalent cylindrical shells yields a simple approximate stability analysis for orthotropic or ring-stiffened conical shells under hydrostatic pressure. The general instability of stiffened conical shells under hydrostatic pressure is also analysed by a more accurate approach. Preliminary experimental results for buckling of ring-stiffened conical shells under hydrostatic pressure are presented and discussed.

CONICAL SHELL↗

Collected Papers on Instability of Shell Structures - 1962

Shell structures are important components of airplanes, missiles, and space vehicles, but present capabilities for predicting the local and general instability of many such structures are inadequate. A large effort continues to be devoted to the stability analysis of shell structures, and considerable progress has been made. Results are slowly disseminated, however, and many engaged in research are not fully cognizant of the problems and practices of the vehicle designers who utilize research results. Therefore, an NASA SYMPOSIUM ON INSTABILITY OF SKELL STRUCTURES was organized by the Langley Research Center with sessions held there on October 24 and 25, 1962. Participants were limited to persons contributing papers and to certain officials of the U.S. Government. This symposium was planned to provide those persons concerned with shell instability at research laboratories, at educational institutions, and in the aerospace industry with a comprehensive view of the present state of the art, including the voids in present knowledge, important current problems, and the most fruitful directions for future theoretical and experimental research on the instability of all types of shell structures. Individuals actively engaged in research on shell stability or design were invited to contribute written papers for inclusion in a compilation to be distributed to the participants prior to the symposium. A few papers were selected by a steering committee for oral presentation at the symposium. Provision was made, also, for a discussion of all papers.

MISSILE↗