Analysis and load carrying behaviour of imperfection sensitive shells

This paper deals with the numerical evaluation of the limit loads and of the imperfection sensitivity of shells. A semi-analytic treatment of the field equations governing the non-linear static behaviour of shells of revolution as well as a novel approach for general shells to construct the relationship between the limit load and amplitudes and shapes of the 'worst' imperfections in a direct way are covered. Applying these methods a large number of results for thin shells are analysed investigating the influence of the material behaviour, the geometry and the boundary conditions. Included are also combinations of shells and high imperfection sensitive shells. For several types of shells the load carrying behaviour and their imperfection sensitivity is discussed. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.